Gluten-free delights: A guide to perfect homemade financiers
French financiers are made from a batter based on egg whites and browned butter. In taste, they slightly resemble fluffier macarons. Apparently, their unusual name has something to do with French bankers. Traditionally, they were baked in an oblong shape meant to resemble gold bars.
The secret of financiers is the browned butter, which gives them a caramel-like flavour and keeps them moist on the inside for a long time. You can make these cookies without a gram of wheat flour, making them suitable for those on a gluten-free diet. The following recipe includes half a cup of such flour, but you can replace it with coconut flour, which pairs perfectly with ground almonds.
How to make almond flour?
You can easily grind almonds into flour using a blender with sharp blades. However, you need to prepare them properly first. Almonds covered with a thin brown skin should be thrown into boiling water for just 1 minute. Then, pour cold water over them and peel off the skins—after blanching, this shouldn't be difficult.
However, before placing the almonds in the blender, dry them thoroughly—if not, you'll end up with a paste instead of flour. When grinding, use the pulse mode to check if they're finely ground. To ensure the flour is uniform and fine, additionally sift it through a sieve. It's not worth making it in advance—it tastes best when fresh. You can grind coconut flakes into flour in the same way.
The simplest financier recipe
In Paris, financiers are often made with fruit additions, such as cherries, strawberries, or raspberry mousse. To make such versions, simply press a selected addition—a single fruit or a teaspoon of mousse—into the batter before placing it in the oven.
Ingredients:
- 7 tablespoons of butter,
- 6 egg whites,
- 1 cup of powdered sugar,
- a pinch of salt,
- 2 cups of ground almonds,
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour or coconut flour,
- Optional: fruits or fruit mousse, almond flakes, or coconut flakes for decoration.
Directions:
- Transfer the butter to a saucepan and heat until it turns brown. However, be careful not to burn it too much. Once it starts smelling nutty, set it aside to cool.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form, and add a pinch of salt.
- Mix the meringue using a whisk with the ground almonds and all-purpose flour (or coconut flour). Lastly, combine with the cooled butter.
- Grease muffin or cupcake molds with butter. Fill them with the financier batter, and optionally add a chosen fruit or fruit mousse. If desired, sprinkle with coconut flakes or almond flakes.
- Place the cookies in an oven preheated to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 25 minutes.
