Sweetness on Sunday : Chocolate Almond Madeleines

I love Madeleines! The classic sponge cake cookies are so delicate, so yummy, so very french! :D
This time around, I added a little almond extract, dipped them in chocolate, and sprinkled them with finely chopped almonds. Yum!

Makes about 20 cookies.
You'll need a madeleine pan!

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsps on almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 butter
1/2 bag milk chocolate chips (for dipping) or dipping chocolate
1/2 finely chopped almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375○ . Lightly butter and flour the pan.

•Melt butter and set aside to cool to room temperature.
•Beat together eggs, vanilla, almost extract, and salt at high speed until light and frothy.
•Add sugar 1/3 cup at a time, continue beating on high speed until it's thicker and paler in color, about 7-8 minutes.
•Add in flour, 1/3 cup at a time, gently folding in to egg mixture until its incorporated each time.
•Gently fold in the melted butter.
•Spoon the batter into the cookie molds--it's okay to fill them to the top.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should be light golden and springy in texture. Cool on a cooling rack.

If using chocolate chips for dipping, melt chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until almost smooth, then stir with spoon until completely smooth. Add a 1/4 tsp of vegetable oil and stir. Dip the smooth side of each cookie.. If you are sprinkling with almonds, now is the time to do it! When all cookies are dipped, place them on a baking sheet and put them into the fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate is set up.
Take them out, let the cookies come back to room temp and then...

Eat!! :D
If you want to skip the last few steps, these are also delicious fresh out of the oven, dusted with a little powdered sugar!

Until next time...