Dark Cherry Financiers
24 Financiers
You will need two mini-muffin pans (twelve muffins per pan) – prepped by brushing with melted butter and dust with all-purpose flour
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned – instructions below
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted to prep the muffin pans (and about 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour to dust the pans)
1 ¼ cup nut flour – either almond or hazelnut (I suggest Bob’s Red Mill)
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cinnamon (or Chinese Five-Spice, or ground ginger)
2/3 cup egg whites (save the whites from all those custards and homemade ice cream)
One dozen dark cherries, pitted and halved
Slivered almonds (if desired)
1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2) Prep by muffin tins by brushing then with 2 Tbsp melted butter and dusting with all-purpose flour.
3) Melt the 4 ounces of unsalted butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring and scraping skillet with a rubber spatula, until the milk solids are dark golden brown, and the butter has a nutty aroma. Transfer the butter and all the bits to a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature.
4) Whisk together the nut flour, sugar, 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour, salt and chosen spice. Stir in the egg whites and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the browned butter until it is fully incorporated. Distribute the batter evenly into the muffin tins (they should be about ½ full.
5) Top each financier with a cherry half. Be sure not to press them in or they will sink to the bottom and stick to the pan. Top with a couple almond slivers (if desired).
6) Bake for roughly 15 minutes until the edges are well browned and tops are golden. Remove from the oven and immediately lift each financier onto a wire rack to cool. I also suggest a light dusting of confectionaries’ sugar before serving.
