Authentic Brown Butter Financiers: Your Guide to the Perfect French Pastry

There are few desserts that capture the essence of French patisserie quite like the humble yet exquisite Brown Butter Financier. These delightful almond and hazelnut cakes are renowned for their unique texture: incredibly soft and chewy on the inside, with a perfectly firm, slightly crisp exterior. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of nutty richness, subtle sweetness, and the unparalleled depth of flavor that only browned butter can provide.

The magic truly lies in the carefully selected combination of ingredients: fine almond flour, aromatic hazelnut flour, a touch of all-purpose flour for structure, sugar, delicate powdered vanilla, light egg whites, and, of course, the star of the show – rich, salted brown butter. If you’re a connoisseur of French pastries and wish to explore more delightful treats, be sure to try our beloved Pumpkin Madeleines or the indulgent Chocolate Dipped Madeleines next. They offer a similar charm and ease of preparation.

For me, financiers evoke cherished memories of my French mother-in-law. Her home in the picturesque French countryside was always a haven of warmth and hospitality, and these golden-hued pastries were invariably waiting to greet us upon our arrival. Their comforting aroma and exquisite taste became synonymous with family visits and joyful gatherings. Dive deeper into the world of these elegant little cakes by exploring our full collection of Financier recipes for more inspiration and variations.

What Are Financiers? A Brief History

The Financier is a small French almond cake, traditionally baked in a small rectangular mold, giving it the appearance of a bar of gold. This distinct shape is often attributed to its origins in the financial district of Paris, where a pastry chef near the Bourse (stock exchange) supposedly created the cake. It’s said to have been popular among businessmen who appreciated a sweet treat that wouldn’t get their fingers sticky and could be eaten quickly. Another theory suggests the name comes from the rich ingredients, making it a “financially” luxurious cake.

These elegant cakes are fundamentally different from other French pastries due to their use of brown butter (beurre noisette) and egg whites, often leaving out the yolks entirely. This gives them their characteristic light texture and rich, nutty aroma. The combination of ground almonds, along with the browned butter, is what truly defines their signature taste profile.

Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Financiers

• Unforgettable Flavor: The brown butter imparts a deep, caramelized, nutty flavor that elevates these financiers far beyond a simple almond cake. It’s a taste that’s both sophisticated and comforting.
• Perfect Texture: Achieving the ideal “moelleux” (soft and moist) interior with a delicate, crisp exterior is a hallmark of French baking, and these financiers nail it every time.
• Surprisingly Easy: Despite their elegant appearance, financiers are one of the most straightforward French pastries to master, making them perfect for both seasoned bakers and eager beginners.
• Impressive for Guests: Whether served with coffee, tea, or as a petit four at a dinner party, these little gold bars are guaranteed to impress with minimal effort.
• Versatile: While perfect on their own, they are also wonderfully adaptable to various flavor additions and seasonal twists.

Essential Ingredients for Brown Butter Financiers

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Creating truly exceptional brown butter financiers starts with understanding the role of each key ingredient. Quality makes a noticeable difference in the final product.

• Almond flour: This fine flour is crucial for the financier’s signature moist, tender crumb and delicate nutty flavor. It also provides structure without making the cake dense.
• Hazelnut flour: Adding hazelnut flour introduces another layer of rich, earthy nuttiness, complementing the almond beautifully and enhancing the overall complexity of the financier’s taste.
• All-purpose flour: Just a small amount of regular flour helps bind the ingredients and contributes to the financier’s slightly firm yet tender texture.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness, aids in browning the financiers to a beautiful golden hue, and contributes to their crisp exterior.
• Powdered vanilla: Offers a more intense and pure vanilla aroma compared to extract, elevating the fragrance of your financiers.
• Egg whites: The use of only egg whites (no yolks) gives financiers their characteristic light, slightly chewy texture and helps create that delicate crisp crust. They contribute to the structure without adding excess richness or density.
• Salted butter: The absolute cornerstone of this recipe! Salted butter, when browned, transforms into “beurre noisette,” imparting a deep, nutty, caramelized flavor that is the hallmark of a true financier. The salt also balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.

How to Make Brown Butter Financiers: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making these elegant French pastries is simpler than you might imagine. Follow these steps for perfect Brown Butter Financiers every time:

• Prepare your oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Proper preheating is essential for even baking and achieving that desirable crisp exterior.
• Brown the butter: In a light-colored saucepan, gently heat the butter over medium heat. Watch it closely as it melts, foams, and eventually the milk solids at the bottom begin to turn a golden brown, releasing a delightful nutty aroma. This is the “beurre noisette” and it’s key to the financier’s flavor.
• Cool the butter: Immediately remove the browned butter from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl. Allow it to cool slightly. It doesn’t need to be completely cold, but it shouldn’t be piping hot when added to the batter.
• Combine dry ingredients: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the almond flour, hazelnut flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and powdered vanilla. Mix these ingredients using the paddle attachment on a low speed until they are well combined.
• Add egg whites: Gradually add the egg whites to the dry mixture, one by one, while the mixer is running on low speed. Mix until just combined and smooth. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten in the flour too much.
• Incorporate brown butter: Pour the slightly cooled browned butter into the batter. Mix again on low speed until the butter is fully incorporated and the batter is homogeneous.
• Prepare molds: Lightly butter and flour your financier mold. This step is important to ensure the financiers don’t stick and develop a nice crust.
• Fill the molds: Carefully fill each cavity of the financier mold about two-thirds full with the batter. This allows room for the financiers to rise without overflowing.
• Bake to perfection: Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven and the size of your molds.

Mastering the Art: How to Make Brown Butter

Browning butter, or making “beurre noisette,” is a fundamental French technique that transforms ordinary butter into a fragrant, nutty, golden elixir. It’s the secret ingredient that gives financiers their signature depth of flavor. If you’re new to this technique, don’t worry – it’s quite simple once you know what to look for.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Use a light-colored saucepan: This allows you to easily see the color change of the butter solids, which is crucial.
2. Melt butter over medium heat: Start by melting your butter. It will first turn into a clear liquid.
3. Watch for foam and listen for sizzle: As the water evaporates from the butter, it will begin to foam, and you’ll hear a gentle sizzling sound. The milk solids will start to separate and sink to the bottom of the pan.
4. Swirl and observe: Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally. The foam will subside, and the milk solids at the bottom will start to turn golden brown.
5. Look for color and smell for aroma: The key is to look for a rich, amber-brown color and a distinct nutty aroma, similar to toasted hazelnuts. Be careful, as it can go from perfectly browned to burnt very quickly.
6. Remove from heat immediately: Once it reaches that perfect golden-brown color and nutty scent, remove it from the heat and pour it into a separate, cool bowl to stop the cooking process. If left in the hot pan, it will continue to cook and could burn.

If you’re unsure how to make brown butter, the video below is really helpful for a visual guide.

Expert Tips for the Best Brown Butter Financiers

• Salted Butter is Key (or add salt!): If you have spent time in France, then you know that we are slightly obsessed with salted butter here! It adds a crucial depth of flavor that balances the sweetness. If you can’t find salted butter where you are, you can absolutely use regular unsalted butter for this recipe and just add a generous pinch of fine sea salt (about 1/4 teaspoon) with the dry ingredients. Don’t skip the salt!
• Do Not Overbake: This is perhaps the most important tip! Financiers should be moelleux (soft and moist) on the inside and firm, with a delicate crispness, on the outside. Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly cakes. Keep a close eye on them; they are typically ready when the edges are golden brown and the center is just set, with a slight spring when gently touched.
• Cool the Browned Butter: Ensure the browned butter has cooled slightly before adding it to the batter. If it’s too hot, it can cook the egg whites prematurely, affecting the texture of your financiers.
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: Once you’ve added the egg whites and then the browned butter, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tougher financier.
• Use a Financier Mold for Authenticity: While other molds can be used, the traditional rectangular financier mold contributes to their iconic “gold bar” appearance and helps achieve the desired crust-to-crumb ratio.

Customize Your Brown Butter Financiers: Creative Variations

While the classic Brown Butter Financier is perfect on its own, there’s always room for a little creativity to tailor them to your taste or to seasonal ingredients.

• Flour Swaps: If you prefer to swap white all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, a 1:1 substitution will work. This will give your financiers a slightly denser texture and a nuttier, more wholesome flavor profile. You can also experiment with different nut flours, such as pecan flour or pistachio flour, though these might alter the texture slightly.
• Fruit Additions: Before baking, press a few fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, or chopped strawberries) into the top of the batter in each mold. The fruit will bake into the cake, adding a burst of fresh flavor and moisture.
• Chocolate Chips: Stir in a small handful of mini chocolate chips into the batter for a decadent twist, or sprinkle them on top before baking.
• Citrus Zest: Grate some orange, lemon, or lime zest into the dry ingredients for a fragrant, zesty aroma that complements the nutty butter beautifully.
• Spices: A pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg can add a warming note, especially delightful during cooler months.
• Extracts: While powdered vanilla is recommended, you can also try a few drops of almond extract to intensify the almond flavor, or even a touch of hazelnut extract.

Special Tools for Perfect Financiers

Having the right tools can make your baking experience smoother and ensure your financiers come out perfectly shaped and baked.

• Financier mold: This is the key to achieving the traditional rectangular “gold bar” shape that financiers are famous for. Silicone molds are particularly easy to work with for release. If you don’t have a specific financier mold, you could alternatively use a shallow muffin tin to make rounder, thicker financiers. While they won’t have the classic look, they will still be incredibly delicious and retain all the wonderful flavors and textures.
• Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment: While you can mix by hand, a stand mixer makes the process effortless, ensuring all ingredients are well combined without overworking the batter.
• Light-Colored Saucepan: Essential for browning butter, as it allows you to clearly see the color change of the milk solids, preventing burning.
• Fine-Mesh Sieve: Useful for sifting your flours and powdered vanilla, ensuring a lump-free and airy batter.
• Pastry Brush: Handy for buttering and flouring your molds evenly, ensuring easy release of the baked financiers.

How to Serve Brown Butter Financiers for Any Occasion

These elegant pastries are versatile and can be enjoyed in various settings, from a simple afternoon tea to a sophisticated dessert course.

• Classic Presentation: We typically serve our financiers on a vintage Limoges tiered cake stand we picked up from a flea market, which adds a touch of rustic French charm. You could serve them similarly on a beautiful cake stand or arranged artfully on small individual plates for a refined touch.
• With a Beverage: Financiers pair wonderfully with a warm cup of tea, a rich espresso, or even a classic black coffee. Their nutty sweetness complements the bitterness of coffee perfectly.
• Decadent Treat: For an indulgent experience, consider pairing them with David Lebovitz’s Brown Butter Old Fashioned Cocktail. The flavors of brown butter in both the drink and the pastry create a harmonious and unforgettable adult treat. (It looks amazing!)
• Freshness is Key: Financiers are best enjoyed the day they are baked when their exteriors are at their crispiest. However, they remain delicious for a few days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. For optimal freshness beyond a day, a quick reheat in a toaster oven can revive their crispness.

More French Desserts to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with these financiers, you’ll adore these other French dessert recipes:

• Pumpkin Madeleines: Another classic French treat, reimagined with the warm flavors of pumpkin and honey.
• Chocolate Dipped Madeleines: Light, shell-shaped cakes, elevated with a luxurious coating of melted chocolate.
• Moelleux au Chocolat: A rich, molten chocolate cake that’s surprisingly easy to make and utterly delightful.

Brown Butter Financiers – The Essence of French Baking

These financiers truly embody the perfect balance of flavors and textures that French patisserie is known for. The blend of almond flour, hazelnut flour, regular flour, sugar, powdered vanilla, egg whites, and that irresistible salted brown butter creates a symphony for your taste buds. They are delightful little bites of perfection, offering a sophisticated yet comforting sweet escape.

We encourage you to embark on this delightful baking journey. With this detailed recipe and our helpful tips, you’re well on your way to creating your own batch of authentic French Brown Butter Financiers that will transport you straight to a Parisian patisserie. Enjoy the process and savor every exquisite morsel!

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