French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Almond Financiers

Small almond cakes made with egg white and browned butter, crisp outside and moist inside.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 150 g butter
• 150 g powdered sugar
• 80 g ground almonds
• 60 g flour
• 6 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 g flaked almonds
• 20 g soft butter

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a light-colored pot over medium heat and let it keep sizzling for 5–6 min until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn hazelnut brown and it smells nutty; pour immediately into a cold bowl and let cool to lukewarm.
2. Thoroughly mix the powdered sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt in a bowl so no lumps remain.
3. Whisk the egg whites lightly with a fork only until slightly frothy — they should not stiffen — and stir into the dry ingredients until a smooth, stretchy batter forms.
4. Stir in the lukewarm brown butter along with its sediment and the vanilla extract, then chill the batter covered for 1 hr so it firms up.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C top/bottom heat, grease the molds with the soft butter, fill three-quarters full with batter and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
6. Bake the financiers 13–15 min, until the edges are golden brown and the center is still slightly soft, let rest 5 min in the mold and serve warm from the rack.