Ingredients

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • zest from 1/2 an orange
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons grand marnier
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 oz of good semisweet chocolate (Callebaut for example)
  • pinch salt

Method

  • Heat the oven to 360 F degrees.
  • Put the butter in the mixer bowl and whip on high speed for 2 min.
  • Add the sugar and the orange zest, and keep mixing for another minute or so on high speed.
  • Add the eggs one by one. Add another one only after the previous one is well mixed.
  • Add the salt, vanilla and the grand marnier and mix for a little longer.
  • Sift the flour, cocoa powder and the baking powder to a separate bowl. Add to the mixer bowl, while mixing on low speed, in 3 batches. Though every time mix only until the flour is just incorporated, so the dough won't get tough.
  • Cut the chocolate to small pieces. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for about 1-1.5 min until it just starts to melt. Mix well to melt all pieces. Cool for few minutes and then incorporate into the dough with a spatula.
  • Oil a Madeleine pan and sprinkle a bit of sugar in each indentation (even if you use silicon pan). Put a very full tablespoon of batter in each indentation to just fill it. the dough is pretty sticky, but try to flatten it a bit.
  • Bake for 12-15 min, until risen (mostly in the middle) and springy.
  • Let it cool for 15 min and take out the cookies and put on a plate with the bottom side (shell-like) up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
  • Enjoy.