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Recycling


The other day I made a batch of vanilla ice cream and I had about 6 egg whites left over. I used a couple to brush on some bread/brioche, but I had still that tiny container staring at me everytime I opened the refrigerator. Light bulb image and I promptly searched for a Financier recipe while I was checking other things online. I feel like a petit financier myself making good use of my money and my food, my daddy would be proud…

Here is the definition of this tasty pastry from Wikipedia:

A financier, sometimes called a friand, is a type of pastry in French cuisine. The financier is a light tea cake, similar to sponge cake, and usually contains almond flour, crushed or ground almonds, or almond flavoring. The basis of the cake itself is beurre noisette (brown butter), egg whites, flour, and powdered sugar. Financiers are often baked in shaped molds. The name "financier" is said to derive from the traditional rectangular mold, which resembles a bar of gold.
Financiers are often served topped with whipped cream, berries, or other fruit, and served accompanied by ice cream or other frozen confections.
Recently, a number of artisanal bakers have begun making non-traditional financiers, using flavorings such as coconut, chocolate, banana, and hazelnut.
Financiers are somewhat similar to madeleines.

For the recipe, I used one found on Our Patisserie, that she found in Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri. Here is my adaptation:

Pistachio Financiers (from Perfect Cakes by Nick Malgieri)
2 oz. ground toasted almonds
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c flour
5 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs dark rum
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
Confectioners' sugar if desiredPreheat your oven to 350F. Grease and flour the insides of 2 12-cavity mini muffin pans. Process the pistachios and 3/8 c of the sugar until very fine. Mix in the flour. Melt the butter, stir in the flavorings and set aside to cool. (I browned the butter as I like the nutty taste.) Beat the egg whites until they hold a soft peak. Add the remaining half of sugar gradually as you continue to beat the egg whites. Stop before the meringue is stiff. Alternately fold in the nut and butter mixtures, stirring after each addition. Use a spoon to fill the cavities of mini muffin pans 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Cool briefly, unmold, and serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar if desired.

The almonds and the rum made a great combo and out of the 10 that I made using Flexipan pyramid molds, there are only 6 left..don’t look at me like that!

I do urge you to make these, changing the nuts and liqueur to suit your taste because they are incredibly easy and delicious.

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Comments


Anonymous June 27, 2006 um 3:24 pm

Oh Helene, these look magnificent! We must be on the same baking wavelength because I also just made a batch of strawberry ones the other day. We call them friands here, although some French boulangeries will lael them as financiers.


Anonymous June 27, 2006 um 3:25 pm

oooops I meant 'label' and not lael


Helene June 28, 2006 um 3:33 am

was wondering was that was…nah…
We have inhaled 2 more…I am mapping my next vacation: France by way of Australia. My Cookie Monster has already volunteered to wash your dishes!


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