These are not truly madeleines, but were inspired by one I had some time ago in the Michelin-starred Campagne restaurant in Kilkenny, Ireland. These are almost brownie-like in texture, needing nothing more than a strong coffee to wash them down.

Instructions:

Makes 24

1. Place two 12-hole madeleine trays in the fridge. Melt the butter, ensuring it doesn’t get too hot, then when the trays are cold, brush with a little of the melted butter. Return to the fridge, and repeat this step once more and then dust the tray with cocoa. Leave in the fridge until needed. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Mix the cocoa with the boiling water to make a smooth paste. Either using a handheld electric whisk or an electric stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, sugar and olive oil for about 5 minutes until pale and thick. Stir in the chocolate paste, followed by the almond meal flour, baking powder and pinch of salt, and then mix well.

3. Pour into the prepared trays and bake for 10 minutes. Be careful here to not overfill each mold; they need to be only half-full to create a perfectly-sized madeleine. When ready, cool for about 5 minutes in the trays and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.