Almond Financier Tartlets Recipes

FINANCIER CAKE (FRENCH ALMOND CAKES)

Steps:

• Make the brown butter by melting the butter until it has attained a nice brown colour and it smells like hazelnut. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks.
• In a bowl mix the almond flour, the flour, the baking powder, and powdered sugar. Add the egg whites and whisk until they have incorporated into the batter. Whisk in the brown butter.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180 C°. Butter your moulds using melted butter. Using a piping bag fill the moulds with the financier batter up to ¾. Leave a space between the rim of the mould and the batter. Add some sliced almonds on top of every financier.
• Bake until golden. About 12 minutes. Remove from the pan and let them cool down at room temperature over a wire rack. Enjoy!

ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• For the shells: Pulse together the granulated sugar, flour and salt in a food processor to combine. Add the butter and continue to pulse until mealy. Add the egg yolks (reserve the egg whites for the filling) and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into a disc, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
• To mold the shells, grease a muffin tin with nonstick spray. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch-thick, dusting with more flour as needed. Cut out 3-inch circles and press them into the muffin cups so that the dough comes all the way up the sides. (No worries if the dough tears; just patch it up with additional dough.) Freeze the shells for 15 minutes.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the almond meal, granulated sugar, salt, and butter, either by blending it in the food processor (no need to clean it out after making the dough, you can just use it immediately for this step), or by stirring it together in a large bowl (I find it's easiest to get in there with my hands). Add the almond extract, egg and the reserved egg whites from the shells, and continue to blend/stir until smooth and combined.
• Fill the frozen shells with the filling so that it comes up about 1/4-inch from the top. Bake until the tops and edges are lightly browned; begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then use a small offset spatula or a knife to remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the glaze: If making the glaze with heavy cream, combine the powdered sugar, heavy cream and almond extract in a bowl until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar or liquid to thicken it up or thin it out so that you get the consistency of a thick glue.
• To make the glaze with the raspberries, place the raspberries in a fine-mesh sieve and give them a rinse. Place the sieve over a bowl and use a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon to smash them through the sieve into the bowl until you're just left with seeds in the sieve. Be sure to scrape the underside of the sieve to get the stuff that's sticking to it. (You should be left with about 2 tablespoons seedless puree. If it's a tiny bit more or a tiny bit less, that's fine.) Add the powdered sugar and almond extract and mix to make a thick glaze. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it out, and if it's too thin, add a few more spoonfuls of powdered sugar. It should be the consistency of a thick glue.
• Spread the glaze over the cooled tarts and decorate with sprinkles, almonds and anything else you'd like! These will keep for several days at room temperature or in the fridge.

DIANE'S ALMOND TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Shape into a ball and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into appropriate size circles with a glass or cookie cutter and press into tart shells. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam into bottom of each shell.
• In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in rice flour and cocoa powder. Beat in eggs and 2 teaspoons almond extract. Fill tarts 2/3 full.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and filling is set. Allow to cool.
• In a small bowl, Stir together 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Spread on tarts. Garnish each tart with a maraschino cherry.

ALMOND FINANCIER TARTLETS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter turns golden brown. Strain through a fine sieve; discard solids. Let cool.
• Whisk together flours, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Beat whites until soft peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, browned butter, rum, and vanilla.
• Coat twelve 2 3/8-inch round tart pans with cooking spray; transfer to a baking sheet. Divide batter evenly among tart shells, filling each to the top. Sprinkle each with almond slices, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 13 minutes. Brush each with jam, and let cool.

FINANCIERS (FRENCH ALMOND TEA CAKES)

Steps:

• Preheat your oven on 160'C/325'F and grease a Financier Pan (see note 1). Optionally, flour the pan too.
• Mak the Brown Butter: place your butter in a small saucepan and turn on low to medium low heat. Cook until the butter has completely melted and starts to get foamy. Keep on cooking, occasionally stirring, the melted butter starts to turn golden and releases a nutty aroma, and you can see small brown specks at the bottom of the saucepan (see note 2). It should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool down.
• In a large bowl, sift together the Flour, Almond Meal, Icing Sugar and Salt. Mix to combine.
• In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the Egg Whites until slightly froathy (see note 3).
• Add the cooled Brown Butter, Egg Whites and Vanilla to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
• Place the batter in a piping bag and pipe into a Financier Pan (or simply spoon/scoop it). Spread with the back of a spoon if needed, then top with Flaked Almonds (optional).
• Bake for about 20min, or until lightly golden. Take out of the oven and leave for about 10 minutes before removing from the financier pan (see note 4). Leave on a cooling rack until cold

APPLE FINANCIER TART

Steps:

• Make the financier batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the butter until it begins to brown and has a nutty fragrance, about three minutes. Set aside to cool. Put the slivered almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 45 seconds. Transfer the ground almonds to a medium bowl. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the almonds. Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt and gently whist to combine. Combine the egg whites, honey, cooled browned butter, and cream in another medium bowl. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean (reserve the pod for another use) into the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Set aside.
• Make the apple filling: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it is golden brown and fragment, about five minutes. Add to the diced apples and honey and cook, stirring occasionally, for two minutes or until the apples are slightly softened. Add the Calvados to the skillet, carefully light it with a match, and cook until the flame dies. Drain the apples in a strainer set over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Stir the reserved liquid back into the diced apples. Pour the apple mixture into the tart shell and spread it into an even layer. Scrape the financier batter over the apples, covering them completely. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the tart on a wire rack.
• Glaze the tart: Put the honey in a heatproof glass measure and microwave on high for 10 to 15 seconds, until hot. (Or, heat in a small saucepan.) Brush the honey over the top of the hot tart. Cool the tart completely before serving.

FINANCIERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• In a bowl, sift together the almond powder, powdered sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, using a whisk or handheld mixer, beat the whites until stiff peaks form. (Or, use a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment.)
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer or a wooden spoon and some stamina), beat the butter until creamy and soft. Add the egg yolks, ne at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the almond extract. Then add the dry ingredients, beating just until thoroughly combined. The mixture will be a bit stiff. On low speed, slowly add half of the whipped whites, mixing just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the remaining whites.
• Spoon the mixture into the molds. You want the batter in each mold to be 1 to 1 1/2 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) deep. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the center is bouncy. If you stick it with a knife, it will always be greasy. The best way to test is to press the center with your finger. If it bounces back rather than sinks, it's ready. If you are using paper molds, leave and serve. If you are using metal molds, remove the cakes from the molds and let cool on wire racks. Serve at room temperature.
• Substitute hazelnut powder for the almond powder. You need to toast the hazelnut powder before using it. Spread it on a rimmed baking sheet, place in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven, and set the timer for 5 minutes so you don't forget about it. Stir it with fork occasionally so it toasts evenly. It is ready when it smells like a Belgian chocolate store. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool completely before using, then sift with the other ingredients as directed in the recipe. This version is delicious with a few apricot halves gently pushed into the top of the cake batter before baking.
• When the big Italian grapes arrive in the market in their foam-padded wooden crates, it's an exciting time. Press them into the cake batter before baking, just like the apricots above.
• Simmer thick orange slices in simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water; dissolve the sugar in the water) for 1 hour. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) Irish whiskey to the batter with the almond extract, and press the orange slices into the top of the cake batter before baking.
• Whisk 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter into the batter before adding the egg yolks. Sink 15 red candied peanuts (French burnt peanuts) into the top of each cake before baking.
• Whisk 2 tablespoons pistachio paste into the batter before adding the egg yolks. Dust the top of the cake batter with chopped pistachios before baking.
• Peel, halve, and core apples. Place cut side up on a small baking sheet, top each half with a pat of unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon sugar, and bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 minutes, or until browned and puffy. Gently press an apple half, rounded side down, into the top of each cake before baking.
• Take a handful of bold-colored, sugar-coated almonds and crush them with a rolling pin. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) Strega, anisette, or alkermes (sometimes spelled alchermes, a typical Tuscan liqueur) to the batter with the almond extract. Dust the top of the cake batter with the crushed almonds before baking.

FINANCIERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almond flour evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and raise heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl with browned bits. Let cool.
• Combine flours and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Add whites, and beat on medium speed until combined and sugar is incorporated. With machine running, pour in browned butter (with brown bits) in a slow, steady stream. Continue to beat for 3 minutes. Batter can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Coat a cast-iron pan with oil or cooking spray, and fill halfway with batter. Bake until dark gold (time will vary depending on size of pan). Remove from oven, and immediately transfer financiers from pan to a wire rack. Let cool. Coat each with glaze if desired, or serve immediately.