A couple of weekends ago we did something crazy, we went out and bought a power boat. After an endless wait of two weeks (which isn’t that long but we are both terribly impatient), the boat was finally delivered to D.C. late last week and of course, we spent every day of the entire weekend taking it out on the Potomac. As a kid, I’d been on the ocean on a few ships and a fishing boat once but this was much different. Fresh waters are so different from the sea and it smells less too which is nice, though I would not mind the ocean one bit! Snoopy is still adjusting and we hope that eventually (more like sooner) we can stop carrying him on and off the boat as he is too scared to make the jump himself and believe me carrying 45lbs on and off a boat after a few days is tiresome! On day one he whined a bit which I assumed to be his getting acclimated to an unfamiliar rocking motion on the boat (while we were docked), however by day two, he barked to say hi to every person that passed by. He enjoys the speed of the boat once it picks up and likes to stretch his head out to sniff the air and catch the wind. Snoopy is still struggling with the existence of some of the wildlife such as the flying herons and the swimming ducks and I think he will soon come to terms with it. He likes to do things at his own pace. Our dog runs our life, house, and now the boat!
I’m curious to learn fishing but for now one license at a time is good, first I need to get my boating license so I can learn to drive. It is interesting to see how the waters get so busy here but I enjoy the people watching part while they boat and kayak their way through. More than anything, I am really looking forward to docking in Old Town Alexandria and eating out at some of the waterfront restaurants.
I’ve been trying to do better this year by consuming a few avocados a week to gain some healthy fat in my diet. Consequently, avocados were bound to make their way into my food and they did just that by occupying a spot in these delicious dark chocolate madeleines. This was my first time baking madeleines as well as using avocados as a butter substitute. Everything turned out delicious and I was excited to use my madeleine baking pan that I found at an antique store in North Carolina a few months back. To stick with theme of using less fat, I sprayed the pan’s molds with a light neutral cooking spray oil which worked out perfectly, instead of greasing it the traditional way with butter. Make sure you use a soft and ripe avocado and puree it to complete smoothness to avoid any fibrous textures or clumps of avocado meat. Since the traditional technique to prepare madeleines involves the use of melted butter, I warmed up the avocado puree in a water-bath to help solubilize some of the fat. Another tip while working with the batter, spoon it in and spread it a little to fill the mold, it will rise during baking and puff up well.
Overall the entire weekend was a set of first firsts for me and each one of these experiences from boating to my baking experiments. I’ve realized that I am always happy when I bake!
avocado dark-chocolate madeleines
yields: 16-18 large madeleines
ingredients
3/4 cup unbleached cake flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 ripe avocado
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a little confectioner’s sugar for dusting
1. Place a wire rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and keep aside.
3. Mash and puree the avocado to get a smooth paste (you can use a food processor for this). Seal the puree with cling film in a glass bowl and place the bowl with the puree in a warm-water bath at 70C till use (this helps to melt out some of the fat and make it smoother).
4. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whisk the eggs for 5 minutes on medium speed until light and foamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk for an additional 5 minutes on medium-high speed until thick and creamy. Remove the mixer bowl from the stand mixer.
5. Sift the flour-cocoa mixture into the whisked eggs and carefully fold the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula using a circular motion. Fold the pre-warmed avocado puree into the batter.
6. Generously coat a madeleine baking pan with a neutral cooking oil spray. Spoon and spread out the cake batter into the molds. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. The madeleines are baked and ready to be removed when the center is firm and springs back when pressed with the fingers. Remove the madeleines from the tray and allow them to cool on a wire rack. You can store them in an airtight container.
7. Before serving, dust the madeleines with a little confectioner’s sugar using a sieve.
7. Before serving, dust the madeleines with a little confectioner’s sugar using a sieve.
20 Responses
Wow, that's awesome! I'd love to own a boat. Have fun!
Those madeleines look very tempting.
Cheers,
Rosa
We've always wanted to own a boat. I'm so so jealous 😉
Love baking with avocados! Lovely madeleines 🙂
what an exciting news 🙂 i hope your pup gets used to the boat and then it will be even more fun exploring. These madeleines looks so good and I will never get over the fear of making these delicacies.
I just found your blog .. so beautiful! great post.
How much fun is that? We have been consuming a lot of avocados too.
Avocados to supplement your diet…best situation EVER! love that it's all natural fats going into these..this means I can eat more than like a dozen, right? =)
Congratulations for the boat, how exciting ! Aww hope snoopy gets used to the boat ! keep us informed.
and did you just say – "gain some healthy fat in my diet" i wish i could say that, never mind the fat, love the green wonder fruit and it is amazing in baking, makes the outcome so moist. Bookmarking this one !
Thanks for the little peep into your new boating life with your lovely dog. I love boating and enjoy living by the sea.
Avocado is a surprisingly good ingredient in baking.
Thanks so much Rosa, we are enjoying the new toy!
It is a lot of fun, get it!
Thank you so much Jolie, hope you return soon!
I love avocados, I eat way too many during the week.
Yes you can and you should!
Thank you so much. Snoopy has been better, he's now met the ducks!
You are most welcome Suzanne. You are so lucky to live so close to the sea!
They are actually so easy to make, the thing is finding the pan.
you finally did it! for a "Première" it's a very unusual recipe, i'll try it
I've seen more and more avacado in dessert dish and I'm becoming very curious to taste the dessert! I just bought madeleine pans too. 🙂 Meant to make these, I think! 😀
And now you own a boat…how luxurious is that?!
And the French would obviously be pleased with these madeleines. Here I'm trying to use chocolate and avocado s in cupcakes…but now I realize that madeleines would be genius!
Pinning the recipe. Love the dog, so cute! Don't let him get too much air in in his nose at high speeds, it can really dry out their sinus cavities. 🙂 Sorry I'm a busybody.