French Almond Cakes with Browned Butter

Financiers are a classic French cake, known for their light and moist texture and delicate almond flavor. The secret behind authentic financiers is beurre noisette – browned butter with a nutty aroma that gives the cakes their characteristic taste. These small French almond cakes are perfect with coffee, tea, or as an elegant dessert.

Ingredients

- 150 g icing sugar

- 60 g almond flour

- 65 g wheat flour

- 1 pinch baking powder

- 150 g egg whites

- 90 g browned butter (beurre noisette)

Method

Step 1 – Mix the dry ingredients

Put icing sugar, almond flour, wheat flour, and baking powder in a bowl. Whisk the ingredients together until evenly distributed.

Step 2 – Make browned butter (beurre noisette)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook until the butter turns golden and develops a nutty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent the butter from burning.

Step 3 – Add egg whites

Pour in the egg whites a little at a time and stir the batter until smooth and slightly airy.

Step 4 – Stir the browned butter into the batter

Slowly pour the warm browned butter into the batter while stirring. Whisk gently until the batter is uniform.

Step 5 – Fill the molds

Put the batter into a piping bag and fill the financier molds about 3/4 full.

Step 6 – Bake the cakes

Bake the cakes in a preheated oven at 168°C for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden with lightly crisp edges.

Step 7 – Cool and serve

Let your financiers cool slightly before removing them from the molds. Serve them warm or at room temperature.

Tips for perfect financiers

• Use fresh almond flour for the best flavor.
• Brown the butter slowly to achieve the deep, nutty aroma.
• Financiers taste even better the next day, once the flavors have settled.
• Store the cakes in an airtight container to maintain their moistness.