Financiers (French Almond Cakes)

Little French almond cakes made with ground almonds and nutty brown butter, with crisp edges and a soft, moist middle.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 minutes
Vegetarian
✅
Nuts
✅
Serves
12 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 120g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 100g icing sugar, sifted
  • 60g ground almonds
  • 40g plain flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 egg whites (about 120g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Flaked almonds, to decorate (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, swirling occasionally, until it smells nutty and turns golden brown. Strain into a bowl and cool for 10 minutes.

  2. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a 12-hole financier or mini muffin tin with butter.

  3. Mix the icing sugar, ground almonds, flour and salt in a large bowl.

  4. Add the egg whites and vanilla and stir until smooth, then gradually stir in the cooled brown butter until just combined.

  5. Spoon the batter into the tin until three quarters full and scatter with flaked almonds if you wish.

  6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden, risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Contains almonds.