Blood orange and dark chocolate madeleines

• unsalted butter↗100g g

  plus extra for greasing

• large eggs↗2
• golden sugar↗100g g
• blood oranges↗zest 2

  zest of 2 plus juice ½ (about 2 tbsp)

• plain flour↗100g g

  plus extra for dusting

• baking powder↗1 tsp tsp
• dark chocolate↗140g g

  (60‑70 % cocoa), finely chopped

• blood orange↗

  powder (optional – see below)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it foams and turns a nutty‑brown colour – watch the pan as the butter can burn quickly. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

2. 2

   Whisk the eggs, sugar and zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and pale. Add the juice and mix. Combine the flour and baking powder, then sift them into the batter in thirds, gently folding each addition.

3. 3

   Stir a large spoonful of batter into the butter, mixing until smooth. Fold this into the remaining batter and gently combine until just incorporated. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

4. 4

   Thirty minutes before baking, grease a 12‑cavity madeleine tin with a little extra butter and dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6 and place the tin in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Remove the batter from the fridge and spoon about a generous tablespoon into each cavity – be careful not to overfill, otherwise they will rise over the edge and not form the characteristic hump. Depending on the size of the tin, some batter may remain – bake it in batches or return it to the fridge and bake over the next three days.

5. 5

   Bake in the oven for 10‑12 minutes until the edges turn golden‑brown. Immediately remove the madeleines onto a rack and let them cool completely. Place the chocolate in a microwave‑safe bowl and heat on high in short 30‑second bursts until about three‑quarters of the chocolate melts. Remove and stir vigorously until the remaining chocolate melts (a simple tempering method that ensures proper setting at room temperature). Dip each madeleine halfway into the melted chocolate, let excess drip off, then place on a parchment sheet. When the chocolate begins to set but is still slightly tacky, sprinkle it with blood‑orange powder (if using) and let cool.