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Brown butter French financiers are extremely easy and quick. With their super moist texture and exquisite nutty flavor, they are perfect for your afternoon pick-me-up or as finger food while entertaining.
How lovely French financiers baked in a mini muffin mold! They are absolutely perfect for your morning or afternoon cup of tea.
And if you make desserts at home, these easy-to-bake cakes may become your favorite bake-to-sell project.
Jump to:
- What are financiers?
- French financier recipe
- Ingredients
- How to make French financiers
- Expert Tips
- Recipe variations
- Storing and freezing
- Recipe FAQ
- Love French tea cakes? Try these next!
- Recipe card
- Comments
Authentically, financiers are made in traditional rectangular molds (aka financier pans) that resemble gold bars. But why not experiment with making financiers in a mini muffin pan? It is the best financier mold substitute.
Just compare rectangular-shaped pistachio financiers with bite-sized chocolate financiers. Which ones are cuter?
What are financiers?
Financiers are French small cakes made with browned butter (beurre noisette), egg whites, powdered sugar, and almond flour.
Formerly known as visitandines, they were made by the Visitandines order of nuns. Later, in the 19th century, financiers were popularized in a financial district of Paris surrounding the Paris Stock Exchange.
French financier recipe
- Brown butter financiers are extremely easy to make. Choose a specially designed financier tin or a mini muffin mold you have on hand.
- Made with simple ingredients, French little cakes taste like in a French patisserie.
- They are the best way to use leftover egg whites.
- Elegant tiny cakes make a beautiful edible gift during holidays.
- The bite-sized cakes are neat to eat when such a situation arrives.
- They are adorable and snackable for kids.
Ingredients
Get a quick overview of the necessary ingredients. For precise measurements and instructions, refer to the recipe card.
- Icing sugar (also, powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar): Make it at home using a coffee grinder or purchase powdered sugar in a baking department of your grocery store.
- All-purpose flour is necessary to add to the combination of nut flour.
- Almond flour: Use store-bought blanched finely ground almond flouror make ground almonds yourself. To do so, toast blanched almonds at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes, place nuts in a food processor, and process until finely ground. Do not over-process; otherwise, you will get nut butter.
Pro tip: While measuring, do not press or pack almond flour or ground almonds into a measuring cup; otherwise, you will get the wrong measurement.
- Hazelnut flour: Make ground hazelnuts yourself, following the same method for ground almonds. You can also replace hazelnut flour with almond flour if you desire. It works as a 1:1 substitute.
- Egg whites: Separate egg whites from yolks using an egg separator while eggs are still chilled. 150 g egg whites, approximately equalto 4.5 raw fresh egg whites from large-size chicken eggs.
Pro tip: For the best results, weigh all the recipe ingredients, especially egg whites, with a kitchen scale.
- Unsalted butter: To make buttery financiers, use top-quality butter. Opt for European-style butter with 82% fat content. The recipe calls for brown butter, known as hazelnut butter, not softened one.
How to make French financiers
Step 1. Prepare a financier tin, or use a mini loaf tin or mini-muffin pan to make the recipe. Brush the tin with melted butter using a pastry brush. Dust with flour and gently shake and tilt the mold.
Step 2. Tap the mold against the sink upside down to remove any excess flour. Refrigerate the prepared mold until ready to use.
Pro tip: If you opt for silicone mold, there is no need to butter and flour it. Read more about how to bake with silicone molds.
Step 3. To make brown butter, place butter in a small saucepan and bring over medium-low heat. Heat butter, swirl the pan occasionally over the stovetop, and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Pro tip: Consult the brown butter recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
The butter will foam at first, but then it will begin to brown, producing dark goldenflecks(browned milk solids).
Step 4. Check the color and once you are happy with the browning level, pour the butter (with milk solids) into a bowl to stop cooking. Let it stand and fully cool down.
Step 5. To make financier batter, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Using anelectric mixer,whisk egg whites for 15-20 seconds and set aside (photo 1).
Step 6. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, all-purpose flour, almond, andhazelnut flour.
Step 7. Add beaten egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix with ahand whisk. Stir in the brown butter (photo 2).
PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
Step 8. Pour the batter into the prepared mold filling the cavities up to two-thirds (photo 3). Sprinkle each cake with a few flaked almonds, if preferred.
Pro tip: Some financier recipes require chilling the cake batter for an hour before filling the financier mold. You can proceed if desired, but with making authentic French financiers, this step isn't necessary. They are not French madeleines to develop that famous hump on top.
Step 9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown (photo 4).
Pro tip: Check financiers with a toothpick: if it comes out dry, they are ready.
PHOTO 3
PHOTO 4
Remove from the oven, and let cakes cool for 2-3 minutes before removing them from the mold. Serve financiers warm or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- To make authentic financiers, it is imperative to make brown butter for natural nutty flavors. Remember to retain the dark bits in the browned butter.
- Use a piping bag to fill the cavities of the muffin mold if desired.
- Monitor the baking time of financiers to avoid overbaking.
- Use a small, blunt knife to release the edges of the cakes and remove them from the mold if needed.
- Make-ahead option: Make the cake batter in advance, cover it with a plastic film in contact, and refrigerate for a couple of days.
Recipe variations
Nowadays, the shape of French financiers may be different: rectangular in some places and round in others. But one thing is for sure: financiers are tasty and delicious.
Once the batter is poured into a financier mold or a mini muffin pan, it is time to add a topping of your choice (fruits, nuts, chocolate chips).
Just add the toppings in moderation, usually one piece of fruit per financier (e.g., a single blackberry, raspberry, a halved fig, a couple of plum slices, etc.). Here is a list of possible financier recipe variations:
- Raspberry financiers topped with fresh raspberries.
- Chocolate financiers with an added cherry on top of the financiers.
- Pistachio financiers with the prominent pistachio flavor and taste.
- Almond financiers with all-purpose and almond flour.
- Hazelnut financiers with all-purpose and hazelnut flour.
You can also flavor classic French financiers with ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond, or lemon extract, citrus zest, orange blossom water, or rose water.
In the end, play with flavor combinations for French financiers, from almonds and apricots to hazelnuts and cherries and pecan and peaches. To help, download this free 10-page fruit flavor pairing chart.
Storing and freezing
Store French financiers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days (according to some French chefs - 7 days).
Can you freeze financiers? You can freeze financiers in a freezer-friendly box or a freezing bag for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ
Why are financiers called financiers?
Financier cake name comes from the financial district of Paris. Financiers were primarily consumed by the district's financiers and baked in a mold resembling a gold bar.
What is the difference between financiers and madelines?
Financiers and madeleines differ in their ingredients and preparation methods. Financiers use egg whites and require no raising agent and chilling, while madeleines use whole eggs and need baking powder and chilling to achieve the iconic madeleine hump.
Are financiers gluten-free?
Financiers typically contain gluten as they are made with all-purpose flour and added nut flour such as almond, hazelnut, or pistachio.
Love French tea cakes? Try these next!
Are you craving French pastries? There are plenty of classic French tea cakes on the blog!
- Lemon poppy seed madeleines
- Raspberry madeleines
- Gingerbread madeleines
- Blackberry friands
- Kouglof (Alsatian Brioche)
- Browse all the Small Cake Recipes
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Recipe card
Authentic French Financiers
Brown butter French financiers are extremely easy and quick. With their super moist texture and exquisite nutty flavor, they are perfect for your afternoon pick-me-up or as finger food while entertaining.
- Author: Irina Totterman
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 financiers 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ⅔ cups + 2 tablespoons (225 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoons (75 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup + 13 teaspoons (90 g) almond flour
- 4 tablespoons (30 g) hazelnut flour
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150 g) egg whites (note #1)
- 7.4 oz (210 g) unsalted butter
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the cavities of a mini muffin pan with melted butter and dust with flour. Remove any excess flour and refrigerate the mold.
- To make the brown butter, in a small saucepan, heat butter on low to medium heat, occasionally swirling the pan over the stovetop for about 5-10 minutes.
- It will foam at first, but then it will begin to brown, producing dark golden flecks (browned milk solids). Check the color and once you are happy with the level of browning, pour the butter (with milk solids) into a bowl to stop cooking. Let it stand and fully cool down.
- To make the cake batter,using anelectric mixer whisk egg whites for 15-20 seconds and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, all-purpose flour, almond, and hazelnut flour.Add beaten egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand whisk. Stir in the brown butter.
- Pour the batter into the mold filling the holes up to two-thirds. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Check financiers with a toothpick: if it comes out dry, they are ready. Remove from the oven, and let cakes cool for 2-3 minutes before removing them from the mold. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- 150 g egg whites, approximately equal to 4.5 raw fresh egg whites from large-size chicken eggs.
- To make authentic financiers, it is imperative to make brown butter for natural nutty flavors. Remember to retain the dark bits in the browned butter!
- Use a piping bag to fill the cavities of the muffin mold if desired.
- Monitor the baking time of financiers to avoid overbaking.
- Use a small, blunt knife to release the edges of the cakes and remove them from the mold if needed.
- Make-ahead option: Make the cake batter in advance, cover it with a plastic film in contact, and refrigerate for a few days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 financier
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 9.4 g
- Sodium: 57 mg
- Fat: 9.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.8 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from https://www.aux-fourneaux.fr.It was originally published on February 11, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.
Note: If you have made this recipe previously and want to replicate it, the original recipe called for a baking temperature of 375°F (190°C) and a baking time of 15 to 17 minutes.
