With Christmas fast approaching it seemed only fitting to blog about a festive dessert which could be an alternative to the more traditional Christmas Pudding, or maybe could be served along side it on the BIG day. This Christmas Madeleine Cherry Chocolate Pudding is actually one based on a Zuccotto recipe which usually involves panettone, and is a dessert that I have made a few times over the years and is delicious! So this is a French/Italian/ German/English fusion dessert for sure!
When I was invited by Bonne Mamam to devise a recipe using their Madeleines I was toying between a trifle or making this Zuccotto inspired pudding. I am actually even more pleased I went with this recipe because Helen has made an amazing Cranberry, Clementine & Cointreau Trifle using them so be sure to check that beauty out! Anyway, I went with my non trifle recipe and I added my own touches to make it more festive in appearance, and I think it would be a real crowd pleaser if this was brought out at any festive party or meal over Christmas.
So to being with you need to line a large pyrex bowl with cling film, and then taking your madeleines, layer them along the bottom and the sides, and then fill in the gaps as best you can, by cutting up a Madeleine or two. I layered mine so that the shell like part of the cake would be on show once it was turned out of the bowl.
I brushed the Madeleines with some kirsch to add some moisture and flavour to the sponges
The next job, is to make your two different coloured and flavoured ricotta cheese fillings.
Then pour one into the cake bowl – I added the chocolate one first but it is up to you which one you use. Now do not be alarmed, it will look full at this point but it does all fit in – just! Once all the chocolately ricotta cheese is in, cover with some more Madeleines, filling in any gaps and then cover with some more kirsch. Then top with the white ricotta cheese filling and smooth over the top and then cover with the remaining Madeleines, and wrap the cling film over the top.
This recipe does call for a lot of Madeleines – I used 5 bags which means 35 individual cakes were used.
Now you need to place a side plate over the top of the bowl, and place some heavy weights on the top to flatten it down (I use a couple of tins), and place in the fridge over night to set.
The next day, turn the dessert out onto a serving plate and remove the bowl and cling film, and it looks like this
Now you could serve this pudding as it is, maybe dust the top with some cocoa powder or icing sugar and top with some cherries. BUT I wanted to take this pudding another step into festiveness, and make it look like an actual Christmas pudding. So I simply melted some milk chocolate and covered the entire pudding with it, waited for it to set and then I melted some white chocolate to top the dessert with and topped it off with a place cherry and some holly
Once cut, you can really see the layers inside with the different filling flavours and colours
It is prone to collapsing a little but but luckily the Madeleines do remain firm so it comes out quite well actually
It tastes lovely and you do not need a lot as it is quite rich, but the ricotta cheese filling helps it to not be too sickly.
So if you fancy giving this Christmas Madeleine Cherry Chocolate Pudding a try for Christmas, then here is the recipe and method
- 35 Bonne Maman Madeleines
- 1kg ricotta
- 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
- 70g cherries, halved and I used glace and sour ones
- 50g flaked almonds
- 50g chocolate chips - I used milk and white chocolate
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 150ml approx kirsch
- 400g milk chocolate
- 150g white chocolate
- 1 glace cherry
- 2 holly leaves to decorate
- take a large pyrex bowl (approximately 15cm in diameter) and line it with two sheets of cling film - leaving enough film draping down to cover the pudding with later
- line the dish with the Madeleines as shown in my photos above. You need to fill the gaps in so you will need to cut up some of the cakes
- brush some of the kirsch onto the sponges
- take 2 bowls and put 500ml of ricotta cheese in each one
- in 1 bowl, add the cocoa powder, 35g of the cherries, 35g of almonds and 35g of the chocolate chips and mix well
- in the other bowl add the honey and the remaining fruit, nuts and chic chips and mix
- Tip one of the cheese fillings into the bowl and smooth over
- cover with some more madeleines
- cover this layer with some more kirsch
- now tip in the other bowl of cheese filling
- cover with the remaining madeleines to make a lid, and drizzle with some more of the kirsch
- cover with the loose cling film
- place a side dish on top and push down slightly.
- add some weigh to the plate and keep in the fridge over night to set
- When you are ready to serve, carefully turn out the pudding on to a serving dish
- you can leave it like this and dust with some cocoa powder or icing sugar if you wish and decorate with the glace cherry and holly
- OR you can go the whole hog and cover with chocolate to do this:
- melt the milk chocolate and pour all over the pudding
- leave to set
- melt the white chocolate and pour over the top only
- place the glace cherry and holly leaves at the top to decorate
- leave to set and then you can serve
YUMMY!
For another fun festive dessert idea using these Madeleines please check this recipe out by Rebecca for a Reindeer Pound Cake
This post was created in collaboration Bonne Mamam to create a festive dessert using their madeleines

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Last week we had some delicious bakes linked up thank you to those who joined in. It was hard picking a favourite because i LOVED all of them! However, in the end I am going to pick as my favourite of the recipes- this gorgeous syrup sponge pudding made in the slow cooker from Lucy – it just looks delicious and comforting. Perfect dessert for this time of year.
Thank you also to:
Louise for this delightful Pic’n’Mix Cake
Anca for these fun Gingerbread Biscuits
Angela for these cute Cookie Monster Cupcakes
Kate for these gorgeous GF Jamaican Ginger Cake
Connie’s Salted caramel cupcakes with a salted caramel buttercream
Jacqueline’s Special Fruit and Nut Cake
Please pop over to Helen’s blog for this weeks Bake of the Week linky, to link up your bakes.
wow this looks fantastic. Love this. xx
Gorgeous cake/pudding Jenny, I really love this idea for an alternative to Christmas pudding! It really looks like one too so would make a wonderful surprise. Thank you very much for featuring my gingerbread pudding! X
Oh wow Jenny this looks AMAZING! Yes please, want one! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Wow! What an inspired way to use madelines, it looks perfect for Christmas
Angela x
that looks delicious Jenny!