Almond Financier with Nectarines and Berries
While living in France, I took some time off from the savory kitchen to explore the sweet side of Paris at Pâtisserie Christian Pottier. Although I was fascinated by the fancy layered creations there, I preferred simpler, homier pastries, like buttery madeleines, crisp millefeuilles, and of course the very French financiers. Invented in a pastry shop near the Paris Stock Exchange, these one-bite cakes provided a quick sweet fix for bankers on the run. They were originally made in small rectangular molds to resemble gold bricks, but financiers can now be found in myriad shapes and sizes all over France. The easy-to-make batter has ground nuts, egg whites, sugar, and vanilla brown butter. At Lucques, we sometimes bake our financiers into round cakes and serve the slices with sugared summer fruit and whipped cream. Try a slice crisped in the toaster the next morning for breakfast.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a round 9-inch cake pan.
Step 2
Place 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter in a medium sauté pan. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter. To make sure not to lose any of the precious seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter. Add the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook the butter and vanilla over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the butter browns and smells nutty. Discard the vanilla pod. Set the butter aside and keep warm.
Step 3
Sift the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the almond meal and salt and stir to combine well.
Step 4
Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Whisk the whites and the honey into the dry ingredients. Next, whisk the brown butter into the batter, making sure to get all the little brown bits as well.
Step 5
Let the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Step 6
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 7
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the granulated sugar over the top. Bake about 40 minutes, until the cake is a deep golden brown and pulls away from the sides of the pan. It will be springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool on a rack.
Step 8
Cut the nectarines in half and remove the pits. Slice each half into six wedges. Toss the nectarines in a bowl with 2 heaping tablespoons sugar, and let sit 20 minutes to draw out the juices.
Step 9
While the nectarines are sitting, place the cream and crème fraîche in a mixing bowl. Whip at medium-high speed with the whisk attachment until you have very soft peaks. (You could also whip it by hand.)
Step 10
Just before serving, gently toss the berries in with the nectarines. Taste and add more sugar if you like. Slice six wedges from the financier. Arrange the slices on six plates, spoon the fruit over each slice, and dollop with whipped cream.
