Description
Delicate and elegant French almond cakes known as Peach Financiers, featuring a rich browned butter base, almond meal, and topped with juicy peach pieces. These mini cakes are perfect for a sophisticated dessert or teatime treat, offering a moist and nutty flavor complemented by the fresh fruity topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Butter
- 3 ounces unsalted butter plus additional for greasing
Batter
- 3 egg whites
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup almond meal
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 12 small pieces of peeled peach
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously butter a 12-cup mini muffin tin, then sprinkle a pinch of flour into each cup, shaking to evenly coat the bottoms to prevent sticking.
- Browning Butter: Melt 3 ounces of unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to foam and continue cooking while stirring constantly to prevent burning. Toast the butter until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, which takes about 4 minutes. Remove from heat promptly.
- Mix Egg Whites and Sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and white sugar continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved and the egg whites become thick and foamy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Butter: To the egg white mixture, gently fold in the almond meal, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined. Then whisk in the browned butter until the batter is smooth and homogenous.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles, promoting even baking.
- First Bake Phase: Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. This establishes the base texture of the financiers.
- Add Peach Topping and Continue Baking: Remove the pan carefully from the oven and top each financier with a small piece of peeled peach. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Cooling: Once baked, remove the financiers from the oven and let them cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before gently removing them. Cooling helps them set and prevents breakage.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe peaches for the best flavor and juiciness in the topping.
- Ensure the butter is properly browned to impart the signature nutty and rich flavor classic to financiers.
- Do not overmix the batter once dry ingredients are added to avoid tough cakes.
- The batter is best baked immediately after preparation to maintain lightness.
- You can dust the tops with powdered sugar for an added touch before serving.
