Financiers
Small buttery almond cakes that are crispy and golden at the edges and soft, moist and tender in the centre. The flavour is nutty and lightly sweet, with the brown butter adding extra depth to every bite!
Ingredients
- 4 eggs only the egg whites, about 140gr
- 140 gr unsalted butter
- 120 gr ground almonds
- 140 gr icing sugar
- 50 gr plain flour
- 3 drops almond extract or vanilla extract
- flaked almonds for decoration
- 1 pinch salt
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
- 1 whisk
- 1 piping bag optional
Instructions
1. Brown the butter
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once it foams, keep cooking for about 5 minutes until the milk solids turn golden and it smells nutty (beurre noisette). Pour immediately into a cold bowl to stop the cooking, and leave to cool.
2. Mix dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, sift together the ground almonds, icing sugar, flour and a pinch of salt.
3. Add the egg whites
- Add the egg whites unwhipped, straight from the shell. Fold gently into the dry ingredients with a spatula until evenly combined. Don't whisk them to a froth, unwhipped whites are what give financiers their dense centre.
4. Add browned butter and flavour
- Slowly pour in the cooled browned butter, stirring continuously until smooth, scraping in all the toasted solids. Stir in the extract.
5. Rest the batter
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. This gives a finer crumb, cleaner flavour, and a batter that holds its shape.
6. Preheat the oven
- Heat to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease the financier moulds and set them on a baking tray.
7. Fill the moulds
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the cavities, filling each nearly to the top. Scatter with flaked almonds.
8. Bake the financiers
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 13–15 minutes (about 10 minutes for mini financiers), until golden with crisp edges and just set in the centre.
9. Cool and serve
- Leave in the moulds for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Good warm or cooled, ideally with a cup of coffee!
Notes
- Financiers are a wonderful way to use leftover egg whites, and the subtle nuttiness of the browned butter is key for authenticity.
- Variations include swapping some almond flour for hazelnut or pistachio flour, topping with fresh fruits or chocolate chips, or adding citrus zest for a modern twist.
- They freeze well and keep for several days if stored airtight at room temperature.