The Super Bowl is happening this Sunday and we’ll be hosting a small get together to celebrate! On the menu for dessert are chocolate madeleines! These cute French cakes might not be the most common treat served at a football themed party, that is until now! The shape, size and flavor actually make them a perfect addition to any game day celebration, especially when dipped in chocolate. Simply decorate the madeleines with royal icing laces to resemble footballs and you have a delicious, and elevated handheld treat for all your guests to enjoy as they cheer on their favorite team! Similar to a teacake or cupcake, but better with a light crumb and chocolatey taste!
Chocolate Football Madeleines
Soft and delicate chocolate madeleines, dipped in dairy free chocolate, with football decorations made from royal icing! Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday or any game day celebration. Dairy free and gluten free option.
I had the pleasure of trying madeleines for the first time when traveling to France a few years ago. My family and I enjoyed them so much that we brought a large quantity back home from our trip! I then learned how to make them for the first time using an adapted version of the recipe from Baker by Nature.
What are madeleines?
There’s a debate as to whether madeleines are considered cookies, or cakes. I’d consider them the latter, since they are texturally very much like cake even though cookie sized. Madeleines are also known for their shell-like shape, round bellies and buttery taste! Essentially they’re a French sponge cake originating in Commercy & Liverdun, baked in small individual molds/cavities. They are commonly dusted with powdered sugar or dipped in icing, glaze or chocolate, varying in flavors from vanilla bean and lemon, to chocolate, orange and pistachio.
Chocolate Madeleine taste
Similar to a sponge/pound cake, madeleines are light, with a firm exterior and soft interior crumb. These specific madeleines have a rich chocolatey taste from the cocoa powder. Because they’re dairy free, there’s less of the classic butter flavor, yet they’re are still addictive! The dark chocolate coating also enhances the chocolatey flavor, providing a welcomed texture to the petite tea-like cakes. The royal icing football decorations simply add to the overall look, resulting in an ideal treat for chocolate and football lovers alike! They’d be wonderful paired with tea, coffee, or even your favorite beer at the Super Bowl, such as stout or porter.
How to make chocolate football madeleines
If you have not yet tried Madeleines, they are easy to make at home. The batter comes together quickly, with the dry ingredients and melted butter folded in, however they will need at least 3 hours or overnight to rest in the fridge prior to baking. Resting the madeleine batter helps them rise properly in the oven, creating the iconic madeleine belly or rounded top while baking.
Madeleine baking tips
Here are a few tips for making chocolate madeleines:
Use a quality Madeleine pan, in either silicone or nonstick coated/metal. Grease or oil the pan well to ensure that the madeleines release from the cavities after baking. Rest the batter for optimal taste and form.
Silicone is easier to use for coating the madeleines in chocolate.
Madeleines are small and only require 7-8 minutes baking time and they will taste best within two days of baking.
Chocolate Madeleine Football Ingredient List:
This is the list of ingredients and supplies you’ll need to make a batch of the chocolate madeleines, with football decorations included.
Chocolate Madeleines:
- All purpose flour (or 1 to 1 gluten free flour)
- Granulated sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Eggs
- Melted butter (Earth Balance Vegan/dairy free butter)
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Dairy free dark chocolate
- Madeleine pan
- Oil
- Piping Bag
Royal Icing Decorations:
- Powdered sugar
- Meringue Powder
- Warm water
- Tipless piping bag
- Edible silver leaf
Chocolate Football Madeleines
- Prep Time: 3 hrs 15
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 18 minute
- Yield: 20-24 1x
- Category: Baking
- Method: Madeleines
- Cuisine: Desserts
Description
Soft and delicate chocolate madeleines, dipped in dairy free chocolate, with football decorations made from royal icing. Perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! Dairy free and gluten free option!
Ingredients
Chocolate Madeleines:
- 1 cup vegan butter, melted (I use earth balance)
- 3 large eggs at room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cups All purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- Madeleine baking pan (silicone pans will work better for chocolate coating)
- Oil for coating pan
Dark chocolate coating:
- 1 bag of dairy free dark chocolate chips melted
Royal Icing football decorations:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp meringue powder
- 2 tbsp warm water – a few drops at a time
- tipless piping bag
- edible silver leaf for decoration (optional)
Instructions
Chocolate Madeleines:
- Melt the vegan butter in a pan.
- Transfer the melted butter to a dish and pour in the vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the eggs on medium and gradually pour in the sugar.
- Whisk the sugar and egg mixture on medium high for 2-3 minutes.
- Then use a rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into the eggs and sugar, just until combined.
- Next fold the butter into the batter until well combined, cover or place in piping bag, and transfer to the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Baking:
- Pre-heat the oven to 370 degrees.
- Spray each cavity of the madeleine pan with cooking spray or coat in butter .
- Pipe Madeleine batter into the center of each madeleine cavity. The batter will spread in the oven.
- Bake for 7- 8 minutes.
- Resting the madeleine batter will help them rise properly in the oven, creating the round bellies when done baking.
- Repeat steps for remaining Madeleine batter.
- Transfer baked madeleines to a cooling rack.
- Once cool the madeleines are ready the chocolate coating.
Dark Chocolate coating:
- Heat dark chocolate chips over a double boiler until fully melted.
- Spoon melted chocolate into each of the Madeleine cavities, making sure chocolate is covering the entire cavity.
- Place madeleines back in the chocolate covered cavities, belly side up, pressing them down gently to ensure they are fully coated in chocolate.
- Transfer to the fridge or freezer to set. (about 5 minutes in freezer, 10-15 minutes in fridge)
- Remove from fridge/freezer and gently release from molds. Keep refrigerated until decorating.
Royal Icing football decorations
- Pour water and meringue powder into a bowl of a stand mixer.
- Whisk on medium for about 2-3 minutes until light and foamy.
- Switch to a paddle attachment and mix in powdered sugar.
- Mix until the royal icing is a toothpaste like consistency, stirring in a few drops of water at time to thin slightly, until piping consistency is achieved.
- Transfer to a tip-less piping bag.
Football decorations:
- Snip the tip off the royal icing and pipe a one inch vertical line in the center of the chocolate coated Madeleine.
- Then pipe 4 horizontal lines across the vertical line to create the stitches.
- Next pipe a curved horizontal line on the top and bottom of the Madeleine to complete the look of the football.
- Repeat steps for all madeleines and finish with silver leaf.
- Serve immediately, or transfer to a sealed container until Super Bowl Sunday!
Notes
The batter can be made 24 hours in advance.
Rest batter for at least 3 hours, or overnight for properly risen madeleines.
Regular butter and flour will work well with this recipe.
Keywords: Super Bowl Desserts, Chocolate Madeleine recipe, chocolate madeleines, how to make madeleines, French Madeleine recipe, football desserts, themed desserts, game day desserts, dairy free madeleines,
If you’re having a Super Bowl or football themed party, for tomorrow’s big game, there’s still time to make a batch of these chocolate madeleines!
They’ll not only be adorable but touchdown worthy in taste and a fun and festive treat that party guests are sure to enjoy!
Happy Super Bowl weekend! Be sure to tag me on social if you give this recipe a try!
The post titled Chocolate Football Madeleines was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2023.
This is such a good idea! They look delicious AND fun! 🙂
Thank you so much!!