Traditional Brown Butter Financiers
These cakes rely on the temperature of the butter and the thoroughness of the whisking. A proper financier should have a clean, golden edge and a slight dome, indicating the batter was rested and the oven heat was aggressive.
Patience is your main ingredient.
The batter must rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour to ensure a consistent crumb. Do not skip the browning of the butter, as the depth of the flavor depends entirely on that transformation.
- small heavy-bottomed saucepan
- fine-mesh sieve
- rectangular financier mold or mini muffin tin
- whisk
- silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 150 gunsalted butter
- 150 gicing sugar, sifted
- 60 galmond flour
- 50 gall-purpose flour
- 150 gegg whites (about 4-5 large)
- 1 pinchsea salt
Mastering the milk solids
Cook the butter over medium heat until the foaming subsides and the sediment at the bottom of the pan turns the color of deep amber. The aroma should shift from creamy to toasted and nutty.
The method.
Brown the butter
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking as it foams, swirling occasionally. Once you see brown flecks and smell a nutty aroma, remove from heat immediately and strain through a sieve into a clean bowl.
Combine dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted icing sugar, almond flour, all-purpose flour, and salt. Ensure there are no large lumps of almond flour.
Add egg whites
Pour in the egg whites. Whisk until the batter is uniform and smooth. It will be thick and glossy.
Incorporate butter
Add the warm, browned butter to the batter. Fold with a spatula until fully combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease your molds lightly with butter. Pipe or spoon the batter into the molds, filling them about 3/4 full. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are deep golden brown and the centers spring back when pressed.
Other turns to take.
Pistachio
Replace half of the almond flour with finely ground, unsalted toasted pistachios.
Citrus
Add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest to the dry ingredients for a sharp contrast to the rich butter.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use aged egg whites if possible; leaving them in a covered bowl in the fridge for 24 hours makes them more supple.
If the butter cools too much before you add it, warm it slightly; it should be liquid and warm, but not boiling, when it meets the batter.
Don't overfill the molds; these cakes rise significantly, and you want them to keep their signature rectangular shape.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use whole eggs?
No. The texture relies on the protein structure of the egg whites. Using yolks will make the cake oily and lead to a muffin-like texture rather than the intended dense chew.
How do I know the butter is done?
Watch the sediment. Once the foaming stops and you see mahogany-colored specks, it is ready. If it turns black, start over; there is no recovering burnt butter.
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