Chocolate Olive Oil Madeleines

This yummy recipe for chocolate olive oil Madeleines comes from Gayle Gonzalez of San Francisco.  Gayle suggests using a high grade olive oil that will be strong enough to stand up to the cocoa.  The sprinkling of sea salt at the end brings out the richness of the cocoa.

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
course sea salt for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Generously grease two madeleine pans with olive oil and dust with flour, tapping out any excess.  Set aside.

Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, with a handheld mixer, beat the eggs on medium speed until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute.  Increase the speed to medium high, add the sugar, and beat until the mixture is thick and pale, about 3 minutes more.  Add the vanilla and beat until combined.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined.  Fold in the olive oil.

Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared pans, filling the molds no more than 3/4 full.  Bake, staggering the pans so that the top pan is not directly over the lower one and rotating the pans from front to back and upper to lower halfway through baking, until the edges just start to color, 10 - 12 minutes.

Immediately turn out the madeleines onto a wire rack and let cool.  Sprinkle with coarse sea salt (if using) while warm.  Serve warm or at room temperature.