Shoes and socks. Gin and tonic. Needle and thread. Knife and fork. Sweet and sour. Salt and pepper. Dollars and cents. Romy and Michelle. These are obvious pairings, things we hear all the time. But one of my all-time favorites — one that doesn’t get as much attention — is almond and browned butter.
Almond and browned butter are the two main ingredients of a little French pastry called a «financier». Originally, these pastries were called «visitandines», named after the order of French nuns who created the recipe in the Middle Ages. I’m not sure in what shape the Sisters of the Visitation made them but, in the late 1800s, they were made by a bakery in the finance district of Paris as little rectangular cakes in the shape of gold ingots, thus the name «financiers».
I hadn’t had a financier until several years ago when I was in Washington, DC, for work. I stopped into a French patisserie called Un Je Ne Sais Quoi (the artwork above adorns their walls) just off DuPont Circle and ordered my first. I could not believe what I had been missing all my life—almonds combined with browned butter is sublime.
Recently, I made financiers/visitandines using the recipe from Cook’s Magazine. I am not making many desserts these days, as flour is still pretty scarce, but financiers are mostly almond flour, which is readily available or easily made. It was a win-win for me—I made (and shared) 24 little, buttery, nutty, addictive little cakes, and used only a couple of tablespoons of regular flour.
~ David
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Gerlinde
August 15, 2020 at 8:37 amDavid, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipes. I often have extra egg whites and we all need a treat once in a while.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:24 pmYou are most welcome, Gerlinde! I love to share – and I, too, have leftover whites all the time.
John / Kitchen Riffs
August 15, 2020 at 9:15 amLove brown butter. And by coincidence, I feature it this week (with corn, though). I haven’t had this dish in years, and I’ve never made it (Mrs KR has, though — she bakes, I rarely do). Didn’t know I wanted these until I read your post, and now I can’t live without them. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:25 pmWell, I am glad Mr. KR bakes, John. Maybe if you make her a nice cocktail, she can whip up a batch!?
Christina Conte
August 15, 2020 at 9:21 amToo hot to bake any time soon (don’t know how you do it!) However, I recently got a financier tin and have been wanting to make them since I see Jill (Mad About Macarons) making them all the time! They are so good!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:26 pmI have two works for you, Christine: central air. I never mind baking in the summer. I need to check out Jill’s recipe – and I need a financier tin! Desperately.
2pots2cook
August 15, 2020 at 9:28 amThat’s interesting; I just prepared one perfect ingredients’ match to be published next week; we both tend to make perfect compositions, not only in cooking but in colours and so many other “cose della vita”, like wine 🙂
If I’ll ever be back to Washington DC ( and I hope I will, sooner or later ) I’ll stop at !I don’t know what” to taste their delicacies. Thank you dearly for your kind recommendation, history lesson and, last but not least, perfect recipe.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:29 pmI can’t wait to see what you post, Davorka! We are often on the same wavelength. I know you will enjoy the patisserie – authentic French and such a charming space (and wonderful chocolat chaud!).
Jill Becker
August 15, 2020 at 4:43 pmSound delightful and I actually have all the ingredients in my kitchen. Not baking now – too damn hot – but soon.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:30 pmWell, I wish the heat would stop me from baking – but it doesn’t! You will enjoy these when you make them – they are in your blood!
Eha Carr
August 15, 2020 at 6:16 pm*Sunday morning laughter* May I add ‘love and marriage’ or ‘horse and carriage’ . . . alright both may be slightly last century but so am I !! Yes, I have had financiers. No, I do not NORMALLY bake ! Yes, these are easy ,. . . and tastu . . . and I just may . . . ! (Yes, I do like the taste of brown butter, but don’t tell anyone . . . !!!!_
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:31 pmGreat additions to perfect pairs, Eha! Why hide your love of brown butter? I shout it from the rooftops!
Eha Carr
August 16, 2020 at 4:50 pm*carefully answering !* Remember this Gemini has two sides: the medical nutritionist one usually has no butter at home and teaches others the adverse medical side of anything ‘brown’ !!
Gloria Roa Baker
August 15, 2020 at 8:13 pmAbsolutely love these !! and love these lovely drawings! hugs
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:31 pmThanks, Gloria – the café is so charming – there are many more drawings, too – one for each pastry!
sherry
August 16, 2020 at 4:15 amthey look very cute david and must taste wonderful. almonds are champion!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:32 pmAlmond is one of my favorite flavors, Sherry – citrus, being the other. These are really wonderful.
Ron
August 16, 2020 at 4:45 amWell done David. I’ve only made financiers once, but I’ve eaten many and they are sublime indeed. Eva’s mom is a master at making these tasty little treats and she usually has some about when we visit for fika. I’ve got her recipe and I just glanced at it and it differs a bit from yours. So, I’m going to send her your post and challenge here to make a batch.
You know you got me thinking of natural pairs and there are many, but if I had to choose I’d go with a proper G&T…
Cocoa & Lavender
August 16, 2020 at 3:33 pmPerhaps you can share Eva’s mother’s recipe? I would love to see how they are different. Thanks for your kind comment, as always, Ron.
Ron
August 19, 2020 at 9:59 amDavid, I shall inquire and get back to you.
Ron
August 19, 2020 at 11:11 pmHere ya go, David. It was a quick translate so let us know if you have any questions. It’s very close to yours with the type of sugar being a big difference and perhaps more egg whites.
Ingredients
280 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
190 g almond flour
90 g AP flour
270 g egg white (approx. 9 eggs)
190 g butter
Chopped almonds (optional)
1. Set the oven to 180 C degrees.
Instructions
Sift icing sugar, almond flour, and wheat flour into a bowl. Stir the egg whites into the flour mixture and stir to a smooth mass.
Melt the butter while constantly whisking until it has a golden brown color and a nutty aroma.
Pour the hot butter, a little at a time, into the flour mixture while stirring.
Distribute the batter in 25 small greased cake tins almost all the way up to the edge and sprinkle with some coarsely chopped almonds.
5. Bake the cakes for about 12 minutes in the middle of the oven.
6. Take the cakes out of the tins and let them cool on a wire rack.
Here’s a link to another almond cookie that is very popular here, especially at Christmas. If you’d like I can send you the translated recipe. https://www.arla.se/recept/klassiska-mandelmusslor/
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:11 amWow — thanks for this, Ron! I will definitely try this ancestral recipe. I’m also very interested in the Christmas cookies… I will take a look at the recipe and see how I can do on my own for translation. I might reach out for a little help!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 25, 2020 at 7:58 amThank you, Ron – I can’t wait to try this version. It is slightly different and I imagine it will be fun to do a taste comparison. My work is so difficult!!
Raymund
August 16, 2020 at 8:36 pmI will make sure I will remember that! Almonds and Brown Butter, apart from financiers where can I use that pair?
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:12 amThere are quite a few cakes, tarts, and cookies that use brown butter and almonds together. Sometimes, if something calls for almonds and butter, using brown butter makes it just a bit better.
sippitysup
August 18, 2020 at 11:58 amGorgeous golden ring! GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:12 amI will chalk that up to beginners luck!
Susan Manfull
August 18, 2020 at 6:41 pmOh, David, these sound terrific and seem rather easy to make! As some of your readers mentioned, these little gems are a great place to put our extra egg whites!
You may recall that you recommended that sweetly decadent Un Je Ne Sais Quoi when I was frequently visiting Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago. I recall those financiers and can’t wait to try your version!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:14 amI was thinking of you when I wrote this post, Susan. I’m sure you have recommended good places to friends many times in your life. And so often, the recommendations go unused. For some reason, everyone that I’ve recommended go to this patisserie has gone and loved it. You were the first.
Rahul
August 18, 2020 at 10:01 pmLove these brown butter financiers and the drawing is very beautiful. Thanks for sharing the recipe David.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:14 amThanks, Rahul, the cakes are really quite wonderful, and the patisserie walls are adorned with many more wonderful images.
Valentina
August 19, 2020 at 11:52 amAm I allowed to add chocolate and hazelnut? 😉 And yes, brown butter + almond=delicious! These look fantastic and I happen to have a few egg whites in the fridge as I just used yolks in mayo. Hoping they’ll work with GF flour so my son can try them. He loves almond desserts. ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:15 amAllowed? You are encouraged add chocolate and hazelnut! These are great base recipe to so many different things that can be added. Fruit, jam, and — chocolate!
Jeff the Chef
August 20, 2020 at 6:45 amI’ve read about these pastries, but I’ve never seen or had one. Wish I lived nearby!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:16 amIf you did, Jeff, I would share.
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
August 20, 2020 at 7:50 amWith a sub of sweetener for sugar, these would go low-carb really easily too. Now I just need the pan!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:16 amI should ask for financier pans for my birthday.
Jean | Delightful Repast
August 20, 2020 at 10:32 amDavid, they’re gorgeous! A bit different from my recipe (posted a few years ago) but equally good, I’m sure. I don’t have the proper tin either, I use my English mince pie tin. Love your photos and the drawings. Now you’ve got me craving these.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2020 at 7:17 amI will have to go back and get your recipe Jean. You are most often my trusted source for good baking!
Dennis Yannakos
August 21, 2020 at 9:23 pmThe cakes look so cute! I bet that they taste amazing!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 25, 2020 at 7:46 amThanks, Dennis! They are really addictive little cakes!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
August 23, 2020 at 8:20 amI sold my financier tin when we moved from New England. I’ll definitely try your version in the mini muffin pans. Thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 25, 2020 at 7:47 amOh, how I wish you had offered a virtual yard sale – I would have bought your tins in a hot minute! But the mini muffin pans work really well.
John
September 6, 2020 at 2:49 pmThe flour situation has returned to relative normality here in Australia, thank goodness, and oddly I’m noticing more brands of 00 flour on the supermarket shelves.
I had no idea of the history of financiers, but it doesn’t surprise me as many incredible recipes came from the hands of nuns and monks. Almonds and butter are the perfect pairings. You should see me when there are friands around the household!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 7, 2020 at 7:23 amI just know that I shouldn’t get in between you and your friands, John!
Right now, the only flour that is regularly available is AP flour. Finding bread, or 00, or wheat flour is still hard. But plenty of bread is being made…
Marcelle
September 6, 2020 at 11:41 pmThe heat has yet to stop me from baking either, David! We would love these financiers! So simple, but so amazingly good!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 7, 2020 at 7:24 amHeck, I wonder if air-conditioning was invented by a baker who needed (NEEDED) to bake in the summer. Like us, Marcelle.