French Financiers
Financiers are perfect little French cakes made with almond flour, browned butter and vanilla. The cakes are rich, flavorful and very, very satisfying.
Here is yet another traditional French pastry recipe that I just adore.
Like Sablé cookies and Madeleines, this recipe requires just a few basic ingredients and no special technique. The batter comes together in mere minutes and you do not need a mixer or any special equipment.
The wonderfully dense texture of these cakes is thanks to the egg whites in the batter. Without enriching yolks, the whites give an every so slightly chewy texture to these little gems.
I’m warning you that it’s very hard to eat just one.
The Process
- Cook the butter until the milk solids brown.
- Skim the foam and pour the browned butter into a bowl, leaving the milk solids in the pan.
- Add the egg whites to the dry ingredients.
- Add the browned butter.
- Stir until smooth.
- Fill traditional financier molds 2/3 full.
- Bake until the center springs back and the edges are golden brown.
- Fill mini muffin pans 2/3 full. Press a berry or cherry on top of each cake.
- Bake until the cake springs back and the edges are golden brown.
Now that you’ve made this recipe what should you do with the extra yolks? Check out this collection of recipes that use extra yolks for some great ideas.
More French Pastries
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Financiers
Ingredients
- 3 oz unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz almond flour (1 cup)
- 6 oz granulated sugar (¾ cup)
- 1 ½ oz all purpose flour (⅓ cup, see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 4 large egg whites
Instructions
- Generously butter and flour 8 financier pans or 24 mini muffin pans. Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- In a small saucepan melt 3 oz unsalted butter over medium high heat. Continue cooking until the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan and turn golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Skim off the foam on the surface and pour the butter into a small bowl, leaving the browned solids in the pan. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and set the browned butter aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, use a hand whisk to combine 4 oz almond flour, 6 oz granulated sugar, 1 ½ oz all purpose flour and ⅛ teaspoon table salt.
- Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in 4 large egg whites. Mix until there are no lumps. Stir in the browned butter.
- Fill the molds ⅔ full. Bake until a cake springs back when the center is pressed and they are golden brown around the edges. Bake time will vary based on the pan used, estimate 15-20 minutes.
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