Almond financiers: The gourmet treat with a golden touch
French financiers are delightful pastries made from a batter of egg whites and browned butter. They have a fluffy texture, somewhat resembling macarons. Their distinctive name is linked to French bankers, as they were traditionally shaped like gold bars.
The key to financiers' unique taste and texture is the browned butter, which imparts a caramel-like flavor and helps keep them moist for an extended period. These cookies can be made entirely without wheat flour, making them suitable for those on a gluten-free diet. Although the recipe here calls for half a cup of flour, you can easily substitute coconut flour, which pairs wonderfully with ground almonds.
How to make almond flour
You can easily grind almonds into flour using a high-powered blender with sharp blades. Proper preparation is crucial. First, blanch the almonds by placing them in boiling water for just 1 minute. Then rinse them under cold water and peel off the skins—this should be straightforward after blanching.
Before blending, ensure the almonds are thoroughly dry; otherwise, you might end up with almond paste instead of flour. Use the pulse mode on your blender to achieve a fine texture. For best results, sift the ground almonds through a sieve to ensure uniformity. Freshly ground flour always tastes best, so preparing it in advance is not advisable. You can also use this technique to grind coconut flakes into flour.
The simplest financier recipe
In Paris, financiers are often enhanced with fruits such as cherries, strawberries, or raspberry mousse. To create these variations, simply press a fruit or a teaspoon of mousse into the batter before baking.
Ingredients:
- 7 tablespoons of butter
- 6 egg whites
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 2 cups of ground almonds
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour or coconut flour
- Optional: fruits or fruit mousse, almond flakes, or coconut flakes for decoration
Directions:
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and heat it until it turns brown, giving off a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it. Once browned, set it aside to cool.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Add a pinch of salt.
- Gently fold the meringue into the ground almonds and flour (or coconut flour) using a whisk. Finally, add the cooled browned butter.
- Grease muffin or cupcake molds with butter. Fill them with the financier batter and, optionally, add a fruit or fruit mousse. If desired, sprinkle with coconut flakes or almond flakes.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
