Vanilla Financiers with Raspberries

Vanilla Financiers with Raspberries: Mini French Cakes made with almond flour and browned butter and filled with juicy berries

Vanilla Financiers with Raspberries

I had not heard of financiers till I started blogging…and until I whipped these Vanilla Financiers with Raspberries up today, I knew nothing of the unusual batter either. Almond flour, sugar, and egg whites were stirred and heated, then flour and browned butter (beurre noisette) were mixed till incorporated. It took longer than I expected for the butter to absorb…ooh, these were going to be rich!

Some vanilla bean paste was my own addition, plus I took Dorie’s Bonne Idée and added some raspberries (you’re not surprised are you, Paula???). This batter must be chilled for an hour…and can be parked in the fridge for up to three days.

How the Financier Got Its Name

The financier was invented for the Parisian stockbrokers (hence the name) who wanted a treat on the go. The gold ingot shape was truly inspired. I made just a half batch of these vanilla financiers…a few in mini muffin tins and a couple in teeny rectangular bread pans with higher sides than the traditional financier tin. I spiked about half with berries. No one in this household was as excited as those hungry businessmen about these little cakes.

I popped one of the mini rounds in my mouth; it was tasty, but nothing spectacular. Maybe I’m just spoiled by all the decadent desserts that come out of my kitchen that a buttery little tea treat seemed somehow…ordinary. Or perhaps I needed to try the chocolate version.

But…my friends went nuts for these…especially the raspberry version! Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Dorie Greenspan’s financier recipe can be found on the NPR website. For more of my favorite cake recipes, check out my Cake Recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth!