Ingredients
- 7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces/105 g) unsalted butter
- 1 3/4 cups (140 g) sliced almonds
- preferably blanched
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (70 g) powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons (45 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/4 cups (6 ounces/170 g) blackberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Butter a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a medium skillet, warm the butter over low heat.
- It will bubble and sizzle for a while before it settles down.
- Continue to cook over low heat until the butter darkens to the color of maple syrup and smells toasty but not burnt.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, grind the almonds with the granulated and powdered sugars, flour, and salt.
- With the motor running, gradually pour in the egg whites and almond extract.
- Pour in the warm brown butter, leaving behind any blackened bits in the pan, and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
- Press 3 or 4 blackberries into the batter in each cup.
- Bake until the cakes are puffy and deep golden brown, about 18 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 minutes, then tip the cakes out onto a wire rack.
- Let cool completely.
- Financiers are mostly enoyed as snack cakes.
- To dress them up as desserts, serve them with a bit of Blackberry Sauce (page 248) or Mango Sauce (page 246) and dollops of creme fraiche.
- Some folks swear that financier batter is best if refrigerated overnight before baking.
- Ive tested that theory and havent noticed any difference.
- But if youd like to try it for yourself, the batter can be kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Store the cooled baked financiers in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Substitute peach, nectarine, or plum slices for the blackberries (you may want to peel the peaches first).
- Cut the fruit into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) slices and press a few into the batter in each muffin cup before baking.
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