Name: Small-Batch Financiers (Almond–Browned Butter Cakes)
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter; ⅓ cup (1½ ounces) almond flour; ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar; 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; Pinch table salt; 1½ ounces egg whites (about 2 large eggs); ¼ cup sliced almonds , lightly toasted (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

For financiers with complex almond flavor and contrasting textures, we started by spraying a mini-muffin tin (either a 12-cup or half of a 24-cup) with baking spray with flour. The flour in the spray helped the sides of the cakes rise along with the centers, preventing doming. We then stirred together almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, and egg whites. We opted for granulated sugar, which doesn't totally dissolve in the egg whites, to ensure a pleasantly coarse texture. Once these ingredients were whisked together, it was just a matter of stirring in nutty browned butter and baking the cakes.

Before You Begin

You'll need a 12-cup mini-muffin tin for this recipe, or you can use only half of a 24-cup tin. Because egg whites can vary in size, measuring the whites by weight is essential. Baking spray, which contains flour, provides the best release; we don't recommend substituting vegetable oil spray in this recipe. If extra crunch is desired, sprinkle the tops with lightly toasted sliced almonds before baking. To enjoy the crisp edges of these financiers, we recommend eating them on the day they’re baked; leftovers may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and scraping skillet constantly with rubber spatula, until milk solids are dark golden brown and butter has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer butter to heatproof bowl. Generously spray mini-muffin tin with baking spray with flour.

Whisk almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt together in second bowl. Add egg whites. Using rubber spatula, stir until combined, mashing any lumps against side of bowl until mixture is smooth. Stir in butter until incorporated. Distribute batter evenly among muffin cups (cups will be about half full). Sprinkle sliced almonds, if using, on top of cakes.

Bake until edges are well browned and tops are golden, about 14 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Immediately invert wire rack on top of muffin tin. Using towels or oven mitts, invert rack and muffin tin; carefully remove muffin tin. Turn cakes right side up and let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.