Sarah’s Raspberry Financiers

These are amongst my favourite things that Sarah makes. It is said that these little cakes became popular in the financial district of Paris because of their resemblance to the shape of a gold bar and the ease with which they could be stored in pockets. Another story suggests they were the invention of an order of nuns from the Middle Ages. The thing that distinguishes their flavour is the subtle nuttiness of the browned butter embedded in a dense chewy cake, which, by the way, just keeps and keeps … if self-control is your ‘thing’.

MAKES 12 FINANCIERS

INGREDIENTS

80 g (2¾ oz) unsalted butter

150 g (5½ oz/1 ¼ cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar

50 g (1¾ oz/½ cup) almond meal

60 g (2¼ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

5 egg whites

½ teaspoon almond extract

90 g (3 ½ oz/¾ cup) fresh or frozen raspberries

25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) flaked almonds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) fan-forced. Line 12 financier moulds with baking paper.

Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, and cook until foamy and dotted with brown flecks. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, briefly whisk the icing sugar, almond meal, flour and baking powder to combine. Add the egg whites, almond extract and browned butter, and whisk until smooth.

Fill each prepared mould three-quarters to the top with the mixture, then dot each one with 3 or 4 raspberries. Sprinkle each with a few flaked almonds, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Using the paper lining, lift the financiers out of the moulds and onto a wire rack. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. In a good old-fashioned biscuit tin, these keep for up to 2 weeks, but keep refrigerated during summer.