Instead of checking out the recipe that David had on his website, I decided to trust Dorie this time. I read over the instructions and saw that the batter needed to sit in the refrigerator at least overnight (and up to 3 days). Perfect! I had some time one evening but wouldn't get around to baking this until 2 days later. This batter was very easy to prepare, and once my oven was preheated, I simply popped them in the oven and let them bake. Easy peasy!
I've never had a financier before, but these mini cakes were slightly crispy on the edges, and the texture was almost muffin-like. The ground almonds gave it a nice nutty taste, and I'm sure these would go well with some type of fresh fruit, jam or preserves. The next time I make these, I may incorporate a fruit component or serve with jam. Regardless, these were quite tasty and got the approval from my husband and coworkers.
Also, I wanted to announce the winner of my contest and giveaway, as chosen by SlimKicker. The original winner was Jennifer, who said, "My challenge idea would be to do a different exercise everyday, alternating between strength and cardio." Since Jennifer did not claim her prize, the new winner is Stacey, who said: "For one month, limit your TV/movie watching to only the time you spend exercising. For example, you exercise 30 minutes a day, three times a week--you get 1 1/2 hours of TV/movie veg time a week. That will get some people moving! "
Please contact me to claim your prize, Stacey!
Ingredients
- 12 TBSP (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup almond flour (I used Trader Joe's almond meal)
- 6 large egg whites
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Directions
Cut the butter into pieces, toss it into a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once the butter boils, keep a close eye on it, as you want it to turn a golden brown but not burn. The brown butter should have a nutty aroma. Once you've gotten your brown butter, pull the pan off the heat and set it aside.
Put the sugar and almond flour in a medium saucepan and stir to mix. Add the egg whites, stir, and place the pan over low heat. Never leaving the pan unattended, stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is slightly white, runny, and hot to the touch. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the all-purpose flour, then gradually blend in the melted butter.
Scrape the batter into a heatproof bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter. Chill the batter for at least 1 hour or overnight (You can keep the batter in the fridge for up to 3 days.).
When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously butter 12 rectangular financier molds or 18 mini muffin molds, dust with flour and tap out the excess. (I don't own a financier or mini muffin mold, so I used regular muffin/cupcake tins).
Fill each mold almost to the top (since I used cupcake tins, I used a medium cookie scoop and only placed one full scoop into each muffin tin. I ended up with 18 financiers this way.). Bake the financiers for about 13 minutes. The rectangular molds might take a little longer to bake, and the mini muffins might take a little less time. The cakes should be golden, springy to the touch, and easy to pull away from the sides of the pan. Unmold the cakes as soon as you remove the pans from the oven. Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Yield: I got 18 financiers (I used regular muffin tins and placed a single, medium-sized cookie scoop of batter in each)
Source: Around My French Table, by Dorie Greenspan
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