Fig financier with brown butter, bay leaf and vanilla
The classic French almond tea cake is given an autumnal twist with fresh bay leaf, a healthy dose of vanilla and a fresh fig nestled into the cake. Bake them until they just golden brown on top. Be sure to brown the butter until the milk solids just start to turn golden brown. Then remove the pan from the heat and let the residual heat darken and brown the butter. If you leave the butter on the heat too long, it will burn and you’ll have to start over.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, French
Keyword almond, cake, figs
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Cooling time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 12
Calories 197kcal
Author Irvin
Ingredients
To prepare pan
2tablespoonsunsalted buttermelted
Batter
8tablespoonsunsalted butter
2fresh bay leaves
1cupalmond flour140 g
3/4cupsplus 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar175
5tablespoonsall-purpose flour45 g
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
4large egg whites
1tablespoonvanilla extract
To finish
6fresh figs
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 375°F. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin by brushing the bottom and sides generously with the melted butter. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for the butter to cool and solidify as you make the financier batter.
Place the butter and bay leaves in a large skillet. Turn the heat to high and melt the butter. Reduce the heat to medium once the butter has melted and continue to cook. Cook the butter and bay leaves, stirring frequently, until the solid butterfat particles has settled out and started to turn light brown. Remove pan immediately from heat and continue to stir, letting the residual heat cook the butterfat until they are golden brown and it smells nutty and rich. Let the butter cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the bay leaves and discard.
Place almond flour, sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until all ingredients are uniformly distributed. Add the egg whites and fold in to dry ingredients until absorbed.
Add the brown butter and vanilla to the batter and mix until well blended.
Take the chilled muffin tin out of the oven and evenly divide the batter into the muffin tin. It should be about a scant 2 tablespoons per cup, barely filing the cup halfway. If you have a scale, each cup should be about 45 to 50 grams. Cut the figs in half and nestle half the fig into the top of each financier.
Bake in the oven, 15 to 18 minutes, or until the top of the financier is light brown and the edges are a darker golden brown. Immediately run a thin knife around the edges of each financier carefully to loosen it from the pan. Then let cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the financier to firm up, then remove carefully and let cool on a wire rack.