Description
Almond Financiers are delicate, buttery French almond cakes with a moist, tender crumb and a nutty flavor from browned butter and almond flour. These small, elegant treats are perfect for tea time or a sophisticated dessert, topped with toasted sliced almonds for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
Wet Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp honey
Dry Ingredients
- 7 tbsp castor sugar
- 6 1/2 tbsp cake flour
- 7 1/2 tbsp almond flour
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
Topping
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Make brown butter: In a medium light-colored skillet over low-medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir constantly as it foams to prevent milk solids from sticking and burning. Watch carefully as the butter changes from yellow to golden brown and develop a nutty aroma. Remove immediately once the milk solids are a toasty dark brown.
- Strain and cool butter: Transfer the browned butter through a strainer into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool completely before using in the batter.
- Combine egg whites and sugars: In a large bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites just to break them down. Add castor sugar and honey. Whisk for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely and mixture is smooth.
- Sift and add dry ingredients: Sift together the cake flour, almond flour, and baking powder. Gradually whisk these into the egg white mixture until well combined.
- Incorporate brown butter: Add the cooled browned butter to the batter and whisk thoroughly to incorporate evenly.
- Chill the batter: Cover the batter bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best flavor and texture. This step can be skipped but is recommended.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease financier molds with butter to prevent sticking.
- Loosen batter: Remove chilled batter from the fridge and use a spatula to mix and loosen it slightly.
- Fill molds: Transfer the batter into a piping bag and pipe it into the molds until they are 80-90% full. Alternatively, spoon the batter into the molds carefully.
- Add almond topping: Evenly sprinkle sliced almonds on top of the filled molds.
- Bake: Place molds in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the financiers are golden brown and slightly springy to touch.
- Cool and serve: Remove the financiers from the molds immediately after baking and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. They are best enjoyed the same day they are made for optimal freshness.
Notes
- Use a light-colored pan for browning butter to better monitor the color change and prevent burning.
- Chilling the batter enhances flavor and yields a better texture but can be skipped if short on time.
- Financiers are traditionally baked in small rectangle molds but muffin or mini cake tins work as well.
- These cakes are best eaten fresh as they may dry out if stored for long.
- Castor sugar helps dissolve quickly and ensures a smooth batter texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Keywords: Almond Financiers, Brown Butter Cake, French Almond Cake, Almond Flour Dessert, Financier Recipe, Nutty Cakes, Elegant Tea Cakes
