In French-speaking Switzerland, an afternoon snack is commonly referred to as “le quatre-heures” (the four o’clock), in reference to the time when you would normally eat it. My go-to recipe for when we need something sweet and fast is madeleines. This malted chocolate version calls for a few tablespoons of Ovomaltine (also known as Ovaltine), a Swiss powdered drink fortified with vitamins that was first introduced in 1904.
You can throw these madeleines together in under 30 minutes. I think they are best served warm and fresh from the oven. Or, you can let them cool a bit, dip them in some melted chocolate and sprinkle on some chopped pistachios for a bit of color, as shown above. They taste great any time of day, not only during le quatre-heures.
Ovomaltine Madeleines
Ingredients
– 1/2 cup (99 grams) sugar
– 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
– 2 eggs
– 3 tablespoons Ovomaltine powder
– 1 cup (142 grams) all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
Directions
1. Whisk the sugar and butter together until well-combined. Then, whisk in the eggs until they are completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
2. Sift the flour, Ovomaltine and baking powder into this mixture. Then, gently stir, just until the flour has been completely absorbed into the batter. Do not over mix.
3. Divide batter evenly into prepared madeleine mold(s).
4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes at 180°C/350°F.
5. Remove immediately from pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Categories: chocolate, Dessert, Recipes, Swiss, Swiss food, Switzerland
Ovaltine was the drink of my childhood! My children will love these!!
Oh, that’s great! Thanks for your nice message.
Yum! Your kids are so lucky!
Thanks! Ha! I’m not sure they always appreciate being my guinea pigs. 😉
OMG…I can’t wait to try this recipe. I just got my Swiss Ovaltine in the mail and I’m obsessed with Ovaltine and Madeleine recipes and now I found them both together. Win -win. Ill be back to post a photo. Thanks Heaps.
Hi Sandra! Thanks for your message! I hope you like this recipe as much as you like Ovomaltine. 🙂 Best wishes, -Heddi