Financiers with Marmalade and Almonds

By Skfsullivan @spectacularlyd

Having lived on Wall Street for the past six years, occupying before it was “Occupied” so to speak, I’ve been meaning to share this Financier recipe for a while.  Sort of like madeleines but different, Financiers are airy little almond cakes that can be further flavored with more nuts or marmalade, as they are here. 

It’s been said they take their name from their gold brick shape, or maybe just the golden color, or because they’re rich.  You pick. 

A Financier pan is wonderful if you’re going the full French authenticity route, but they work out nicely in mini-muffin tins and tartlet molds as well. These fluted tartlet molds are trickier to unmold, just so you know.

Yes the dabs of marmalade could have been applied a little more neatly. Hasty but tasty.

I used some fragrant grated tonka beans in one batch, but I know I’m pretty much alone on that one.  They are good this way. More info on Tonka in this post.

FINANCIERS WITH MARMALADE AND ALMONDS
Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (55 grams) almond flour
3/4 cup (90 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon grated tonka bean (optional, if you have it)
Garnish options: marmalade, slivered almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 400º with the oven rack in the center of the oven.

2. Get your baking tins ready.  A silicone Financier mold is available on Amazon (click here) or use mini-muffin tins or tartlet molds. Lubricate the pans well with butter or Pam.

3. Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Continue to cook, bringing the butter to a boil. Stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally. As it boils the butter will foam up.  Continue cooking until the butter is clear again and the solids turn gold brown. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. 

4. Use a whisk to lightly beat the egg whites until frothy and foamy but stopping short of full stiffness.

4. Sift together the flour, ground almonds, confectioners sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and fold in the lightly beaten egg whites, vanilla, and the cooled brown butter. Fill each mold almost to the rim. (If garnishing with slivered almonds place a few on top of the batter before baking; marmalade gets applied after they come out of the oven and are still warm.)

5. Bake for 10-14 minutes, depending on the size of the tins used. The little Financier bars take only 10 minutes, the larger tartlet molds 14 minutes, and the round mini-muffin tins somewhere in between.  They’re done when they puff up slightly, are springy to the touch and the edges begin to brown. 

6. When done remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Unmold, and top with marmade if that’s the way you’re going.

These are best eaten warm from the oven or can be kept covered to enjoy later.

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