TAHINI FIG FINANCIERS
Financiers are buttery, nutty French cakes. Without embellishment, they taste and look elegant, especially when cradling figs and baked in mini loaf molds. These have very crisp edges and tender centers, thanks to the pairing of egg whites with ground almonds. To capture the pleasure that loads of melted butter delivers in the original, I’ve added tahini while keeping just a bit of butter in clarified form. The nuttiness of the sesame seeds in the tahini adds toasty notes and a blondie-like texture. When figs aren’t in season, these cakes taste—and look—just as lovely plain or with other seasonal fruit.
TIPS:
• Of the brands nationally available in supermarkets, Joyva tahini is the best. Tahini goes rancid quickly, so be sure to sniff yours before using. If it’s bitter or off, toss it out.
• If you want to use up all your tahini at once, make the thumbprint cookies.
makes 6
gluten-free
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (64 g) well-stirred tahini
- ⅔ cup (82 g) almond flour
- ¼ cup (52 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (34 g) confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 9 fresh figs, stemmed and halved
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until foamy bubbles form at the surface. Remove from the heat and skim off and discard the white foam. Stir in the tahini until smooth.
2. Sift the almond flour, both sugars, and the salt into a medium bowl. Add the egg whites and whisk until well blended. Stir in the tahini mixture and then the almond extract until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat six mini (4½-by-2½-inch) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray the parchment.
4. Divide the batter among the prepared pans. Press 3 fig halves into the top of each one.
5. Bake until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 3 minutes, then carefully slide a small offset spatula or knife between each financier and the pan to pop the cakes out. Cool completely on the rack.
MAKE AHEAD
The fig financiers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Plain ones will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.
