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The French make incredible sweets. One popular French sweet is the financier, little tea-cakes so named because the 19th century pastry chef’s shop was in the financial district of Paris and the traditional cakes were shaped like gold bars. Australians and New Zealanders have taken it one step further, adding flavourings and fruit and calling them Friands, meaning “tasty” or “dainty.”
These rich, moist little cakes are made of egg white, ground almonds, flour, sugar, and browned butter. If a financier pan is not available, any shape pan can be used, including muffin tins, individual tart pans, or mini loaf-shaped tins. The tin used for this recipe is an old English tart pan which has 12 holes that are 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter
There are many variations to this recipe where the ground almonds can be replaced with ground hazelnuts or pecans. Fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, apples, and pears can all be used.
Financiers
Makes 1 dozen
150 ml (2/3 cup) unsalted butter
75 ml (1/3 cup) all-purpose flour
175 ml (3/4 cup) ground almonds
175 ml (3/4 cup) confectioners’ sugar
4 egg whites
Assorted fruit, cut into small berry-size pieces
Preheat oven to 180º C (350º F). Melt butter in a small pan on top of the stove until slightly browned. Set aside to cool. Generously brush some of the melted butter into the moulds or tins. Sift flour and confectioners’ sugar together. Whisk egg whites until lightly frothy, add the flour, almonds and sugar, stir lightly and then add the butter and mix well. Pour mixture into tins and fill 3/4 full. Lightly press in fruit—about three pieces. Bake until the financiers are golden brown and springy to the touch, approximately 30 minutes depending on the size of the tins used, or when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes and remove with a sharp pointed knife while still warm.
Optional: Lightly sift confectioners’ sugar over financiers.
