Chocolate Madeleines

I had to make these as mini cupcakes - just can't find a madeleine pan!  At any rate they were fabulous! For the best result serve warm with a nice quality ice cream.  From Food and Drink Winter 2013

Ganache Filling
2 oz semi sweet chocolate
1/4 cup whipping cream
Melted butter and sifted cocoa powder, for preparing the pan

Batter
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
3 tbsp sifted cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Icing sugar or cocoa powder for dusting

1. For the ganache, cut chocolate into small chunks and place in a bowl.  Heat cream in a heavy small pan over medium low heat until ver hot and just starting to simmer around the edges.  Pour cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  Chill until firm about 2 to 3 hours.
2. Brush the inside of madeleine pan with a thin layer of melted butter.  Dust with sifted cocoa, invert pan and tap out excess cocoa.
3. Beat eggs and sugar together in an electric mixer using the whisk attachment.  Continue beating 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and lightened in colour.  Beat in the vanilla extract.  
4. Combine flour, cocoa and baking powder and with the mixer on low speed, add to the egg mixture.  Mix just until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Add the melted butter and mix just until the butter is incorporated.  Chill the batter 2 to 3 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 375F.
7. Spoon the chilled batter into a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain tip.  Pipe batter into the centre of each indentation in madeleine pan, filling about half full.  Spoon about 1/2 tsp of ganach into the centre of each mound of batter.  Pipe remaining batter over top of the ganache, covering it completely.  Don't worry if the batter doesn't completely fill the mould; it will spread as it bakes.
8. Place pan in oven and bake 10 minutes or until set.  Remove pan from oven, invert over a wire cooling rack, and tap lightly to release madeleines.  Dust lightly with icing sugar or cocoa powder, if desired, and serve immediately.  If made ahead the madeleines can be reheated in a microwave oven for 10 seconds on high.

Makes about 15 madeleines.