Financiers
Small almond cakes made with brown butter and egg whites, baked hot so the edges crisp. Named for the gold-bar shape and the district that ate them.
Photograph credit: Financier sur une grille de refroidissement (19214843930) by Nicolas Buffler from Guilherand Granges, France · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photograph credit: Financier La Regi by MiguelAlanCS · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Method
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Melt the butter in a pale-bottomed pan and cook it over medium heat until it foams, then subsides, and the solids turn deep brown and smell nutty — about 6 minutes.
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Pour it immediately into a cold bowl to stop the cooking, and leave to cool to warm.
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Whisk the icing sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt together.
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Add the egg whites and whisk to a smooth batter — they go in unwhipped, straight from the shells.
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Whisk in the warm brown butter, including the dark solids, and the vanilla.
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Refrigerate the batter at least 120 minutes, or overnight.
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Butter and flour financier moulds, fill them three-quarters full, and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 14 minutes, until risen with crisp brown edges and a soft centre.
Chef’s Tips
- Take the butter properly brown. It is the whole flavour.
- Egg whites unwhipped, straight in.
- Rest the batter. Overnight is better than two hours.
Pairing Suggestions
- Coffee
- Raspberries
- Tea
Storage & Reheating
Three days in a tin, though the edges soften. They freeze for 2 months.
Common questions
How long does Financiers take to make?
About 35 minutes of hands-on work — 20 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking — plus 2 hours of resting the batter, so allow 2 hours 35 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 12.
What are the key tips for making Financiers?
Take the butter properly brown. It is the whole flavour. Egg whites unwhipped, straight in. Rest the batter. Overnight is better than two hours.
What should I serve with Financiers?
Coffee; Raspberries; Tea.
Can Financiers be made ahead or frozen?
Three days in a tin, though the edges soften. They freeze for 2 months.
Is Financiers suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and low-carb. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Financiers?
About 185 kcal per serving, with 3 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate and 11 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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