Can Halloween Ghost Madeleines be made ahead?

Yes and the plain cakes can be baked two days early before being coated and decorated closer to serving.

Why did my Halloween Ghost Madeleines turn dense?

Dense cakes usually result from underwhipped eggs or overmixed batter which removes the trapped air.

Can Halloween Ghost Madeleines use candy melts?

Yes and white candy melts provide a firmer coating although the flavor will differ from white chocolate.

How do I keep Halloween Ghost Madeleines from sticking?

Coat every cavity lightly with butter and flour while paying special attention to the narrow shell ridges.

Halloween Ghost Madeleines Recipe

Description

Halloween Ghost Madeleines are an easy and quick dessert with a simple vanilla cake base and a smooth white chocolate ghost coating. They are one of the best ideas for a Halloween party and holiday brunch while still feeling lighter and healthy enough for a small treat. Make them for meal prep before a busy celebration or bring them to a potluck where their playful faces and tender centers will disappear fast. Each cake has a soft center and crisp golden edges.

Ingredients

2 Large eggs
1/2 cup Granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Fine salt
6 tablespoons melted and cooled Unsalted butter
8 ounces chopped White chocolate
1 teaspoon Coconut oil
1 ounce melted Dark chocolate

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Instructions

Beat the two eggs with the granulated sugar until the mixture changes from deep yellow and loose to pale and thick. The finished mixture should fall back in soft ribbons and hold faint trails across the surface. Mix in the vanilla so the liquid looks evenly blended while a few natural bubbles remain around the edges.
Fold the flour and baking powder and salt into the pale egg mixture until only a few dry streaks remain. Pour in the cooled melted butter and continue folding until the batter becomes glossy and thick. The finished batter should look smooth but not perfectly uniform while a few soft folds and tiny air bubbles remain visible.
Chill the batter until it becomes firmer and holds deeper folds instead of spreading immediately. Divide it unevenly among twelve shell shaped cavities so each cavity is about three quarters full. The portions should have slightly irregular peaks and natural differences while remaining similar enough to bake at the same rate.
Bake the twelve portions until they rise into softly rounded cakes and the thin edges turn golden brown. The centers should spring back gently while a few cakes develop deeper color along one side. Let the madeleines settle until they release cleanly and reveal defined shell ridges with small homemade variations.
Combine the chopped white chocolate with the coconut oil until the mixture changes into a smooth fluid coating. Dip the rounded end of each cooled madeleine so the chocolate spreads into an irregular ghost shape. Arrange all twelve coated cakes apart from one another while allowing a few natural drips and thin translucent patches to remain.
Dot the set white chocolate with melted dark chocolate to create two eyes and one mouth on each ghost. Vary the size and angle of the expressions so the twelve finished cakes look playful and naturally homemade. Transfer one madeleine to a white plate and tilt it slightly so the golden shell edge and tender interior remain visible beneath the set coating.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Bring the eggs close to room temperature before whipping because warmer eggs expand more easily and create a lighter batter.
Chill the finished batter before baking so the cakes rise with rounded centers while their delicate edges become lightly crisp.
Cool every madeleine completely before coating because trapped warmth can make the white chocolate thin and slide away.
Pipe the eyes and mouths only after the white coating sets so the dark chocolate details stay distinct and do not bleed.

Storage: Store the decorated madeleines in a single loose layer inside an airtight container. Keep parchment between layers when stacking is unavoidable so the ghost faces remain intact. The finished cakes will stay fresh at cool room temperature for up to two days. Move them to the refrigerator when the room is warm because the white chocolate may soften. Refrigerated madeleines can be stored for up to five days. Let them rest at room temperature before serving so the butter rich crumb becomes tender again. Freeze the undecorated cakes for up to two months in a sealed freezer container. Thaw them completely before adding the white chocolate coating and dark chocolate faces.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: French American