Description
Peach Financiers are elegant, delicate French almond cakes with a golden-brown crust and a moist, nutty interior. These small, refined cakes are topped with fresh peach pieces for a sweet and fruity touch, perfectly balancing buttery richness and fruity freshness.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients
- 3 ounces unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing
- 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
- â…› teaspoon salt
- 12 small pieces of peeled peach
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Generously butter a 12-cup mini-muffin tin, then add a pinch of flour into each cup and shake to coat the bottoms evenly. This prevents sticking and ensures an easy release after baking.
- Bake the browned butter: Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to melt and begin to foam, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Continue cooking until the butter turns a golden brown color and develops a nutty aroma, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to avoid further browning.
- Whisk egg whites and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites and white sugar vigorously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes thick and foamy; this usually takes 2 to 3 minutes.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add the almond meal, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and salt to the egg white mixture. Gently whisk to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Incorporate browned butter: Slowly whisk the warm browned butter into the batter. This adds depth of flavor and moisture to the cake batter.
- Fill muffin cups: Pour the batter into the prepared mini-muffin cups almost to the top. Tap the pan gently to release any trapped air bubbles for even baking.
- Start baking: Bake the financiers for 5 minutes. After this initial baking, carefully remove the pan from the oven.
- Add peach topping: Place a peeled peach piece on top of each financier in the pan, then return the pan to the oven.
- Finish baking: Continue baking the financiers for an additional 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the financiers to cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan to prevent breaking.
Notes
- Use peeled peaches to ensure a smooth texture and prevent bitterness from peach skin.
- Brown the butter carefully and continuously stir to avoid burning, which would impart a bitter taste.
- Make sure to tap the muffin tin after filling to remove air bubbles for even texture.
- These financiers are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
- If peaches are not in season, try substituting with thin slices of other fruits like raspberries or apricots.
