Description
Peach Financiers are elegant French almond cakes that are light, moist, and infused with toasted brown butter flavor, topped with juicy pieces of fresh peach. These bite-sized mini cakes offer a perfect balance of nutty sweetness and fruity freshness, ideal for serving at tea time or as a delicate dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Financier Batter
- 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
Topping
- 12 small pieces of peeled peach
Instructions
- Prepare the baking pan: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Generously butter a 12-cup mini muffin tin, then sprinkle a pinch of all-purpose flour into each cup and shake to evenly coat the bottoms and sides to prevent sticking.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continually. The butter will foam initially then begin to turn golden brown and develop a nutty aroma, which usually takes about 4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning.
- Whisk egg whites and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, foamy, and the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Combine dry ingredients and vanilla: Gently fold in the almond meal, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, and salt into the egg white mixture until smooth and well incorporated.
- Add browned butter: Slowly whisk the browned butter into the batter until completely combined and uniform in texture.
- Fill the muffin cups: Pour the batter into each prepared muffin cup, filling almost to the top. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles ensuring an even texture.
- Initial bake: Bake the financiers for 5 minutes in the preheated oven to begin setting the batter.
- Add peach topping and continue baking: Remove the pan from the oven and carefully place one small piece of peeled peach on top of each financier. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool before serving: Let the peach financiers cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing them gently to serve. This allows the cakes to firm up and makes removal easier.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe peaches for the best flavor and texture as the topping.
- Make sure to brown the butter carefully without burning, as it adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cakes.
- These financiers are best served the same day but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To remove the financiers easily, you can run a small knife around the edges before lifting them out of the pan.
