These French Chocolate Financiers Cakes have a deliciously rich texture and deep flavours of chocolate, almond and brown butter. They make a great afternoon tea cake or little snack to enjoy all year round!
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Why we love this recipe
Financiers are a classic French treat that is very easy to make; and just as easy to eat! It is the perfect way to use leftover egg whites to make delicious little cakes.
These Chocolate Financiers have an irresistible soft and moist crumb and super flavourful taste thanks to the almond meal, brown butter, cocoa and dark chocolate.
Made from 7 simple ingredients and ready to eat in less than 1 hour, these mini chocolate almond cakes are perfect as an every day treat, to serve for a party or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
These financiers cakes are made from 7 simple ingredients (Scroll down to recipe card below for all quantities):
- Butter: Unsalted Butter, used to make Brown Butter (see FAQs section below for how to make brown butter). Brown butter adds incredible flavours to these cakes so it is highly recommended here. Otherwise, you can skip making the brown butter and simply used melted butter instead.
- Dry Ingredients: a mix of Almond Meal, Plain / All-Purpose Flour, Icing Sugar (or confectioner’s sugar), Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (both natural or dutch processed will work here too) and optionally a pinch of Salt. Make sure to sift all of these ingredients together to avoid lumps in batter.
- Eggs: financiers are made with egg whites only, so keep the egg yolks for another recipe. They need to be lightly beaten to bring some lightness to the cakes, but not to the point of soft peaks (you don't want the financiers to rise too much).
- Chocolate: I used a Dark Cooking Chocolate, finely chopped into chunks. They are both added to the batter and sprinkled on top of the cakes before baking them.
Optional Additions
- Coffee Powder: coffee is a great ingredient to use to boost the chocolate flavours (and just as delicious on its own like for these Coffee Financiers).
- Vanilla: you could also add a little bit of vanilla extract for even more flavours.
How to make French Chocolate Financiers
If you are using Brown Butter (instead or melted butter), start by preparing it.
- Photo 1: Place the Butter in a small saucepan and turn on low to medium heat. Leave to melt completely, then continue to cook until the butter starts to get foamy, occasionally stirring. After about 5 to 8 minutes, the butter will turn to a golden colour and you will notice small specks at the bottom of the pan. You should smell nutty aromas coming from the pan. When the small specks start to turn golden brown (which are the milk solids from the butter that have caramelised), your brown butter is ready.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
- Preheat your oven on 160'C/325'F and grease a Financier Pan. You can also slightly dust the pan with cocoa powder (or flour) if using a metal one. Financiers can sometimes stick so I recommend greasing + flouring if unsure of how your mold performs.
- Finely chop the dark chocolate and set aside.
- Sift together the Almond Flour, Plain Flour, Icing Sugar, Cocoa Powder and Salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix to blend the dry ingredients together.
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- Photo 2: in a separate bowl, whisk the Egg Whites for about a minute or until lightly frothy. You do not need to whip them into soft peaks, just have some bubbles on top.
- Photo 3: Add the Egg Whites to the flour and almond mixture.
- Photo 4: Whisk together until you get a thick paste-like mixture.
- Photo 5: Pour the cooled down Brown Butter over the mixture, making sure to add the brown specks in (that is where all the flavours are).
- Photo 6: Whisk until the butter is all incorporated into the batter.
- Photo 7: Fold in the chopped chocolate chunks. Optionally, keep a little bit of the chunks to sprinkle over each chocolate financiers.
- Scoop the financier batter into the prepared tin. Using the back of a spoon or small spatula, gently spread it around if needed. They will spread flat in the oven so don't worry if they aren't completely flat.
- Photo 8: Optionally, sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chunks over each financiers.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a skewer or small knife comes out clean. Take out of the oven and leave to cool down for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
Recipe FAQs
A "Financier" is a traditional French tea cake made with Almond Meal and Brown Butter ("beurre-noisette" in French). They can be enjoyed plain or flavoured with chocolate, coffee or fruits. They can also be prepared with other nuts.
They are known for their distinctive rectangular shape (or oval like here) that resembles a gold bar - which could explain the origin of their name.
Brown Butter is made by cooking the butter for a few minutes until the milk solids separate from the fat and caramelise, giving a nutty flavour to the melted butter.
To make it, place the Butter in a small saucepan and turn on low to medium heat. Melt then leave to cook for 5 to 8 minutes, occasionally stirring. The butter will starts to appear foamy and you will notice small and large bubbles.
After a few minutes, you will notice small flecks on top of the butter that will start to sink down. These are the milk solids separating from the fat. You should smell nutty aromas coming from the pan and the butter should start turning to a light golden colour. When the small specks start to turn dark golden brown (which are the caramelised milk solids), your brown butter is ready.
If you don't have a special financier mold, you can use a regular or mini-muffin tins instead (adjust the baking time accordingly). A mini loaf pan will work as well here.
Both metal and silicone molds will work here, but I personally always prefer to use metal over silicone for better heat conduction and even baking.
Simply replace the all-purpose flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix to make this recipe gluten-free.
Tips for Success
- The chocolate financier batter (covered with plastic wrap touching its surface) can be prepared in advance and left in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours. It will develop the flavours of the cakes even more.
- If the financiers look like they are sticking to the pan even if you have greased it, you can use a small blunt knife to gently lift their sides until the cakes are released.
- These French cakes are usually served plain. For a fancier "petit-four" finish, you can also top them with a chocolate ganache, pipe some Chocolate Crémeux or Whipped Ganache on top of them.
- Keep the leftover Egg Yolks for other recipes such as Chocolate Pastry Cream, Diplomat Cream or even to make Passion Fruit Ice Cream.
Storing & Freezing
Financiers Cakes are best eaten fresh, within 24 hours, but can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 days. I don't recommend storing them in the fridge as it will make the crumb more dry.
These almond cakes can be frozen for up to a month, but it will slightly change their textures. Leave at room temperature to thaw when ready to serve.
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Recipe
Chocolate Financiers
Ingredients
- 150 gr Unsalted Butter
- 75 gr Dark Cooking Chocolate, finely chopped
- 125 gr Almond Meal
- 20 gr Plain / All Purpose Flour
- 100 gr Icing Sugar, or confectioner's sugar
- 15 gr Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 pinch Fine Salt
- 5 Egg Whites, about 150 gr
Instructions
- To make the Brown Butter (see note 1): place the Butter in a small saucepan and turn on low to medium heat. Leave to melt completely, occasionally stirring. Continue to cook until the butter starts to get foamy. After about 5 to 8 minutes, the butter will turn to a golden colour and you will notice small specks at the bottom of the pan. When the small specks start to turn golden brown, your brown butter is ready. Set aside to cool down.
- Finely chop the Dark Chocolate and set aside.
- Sift together the Almond Flour, Plain/AP Flour, Icing Sugar, Cocoa Powder and Salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix to blend the dry ingredients together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the Egg Whites for about a minute or until slightly blubbly (see note 2).
- Add the Egg Whites to the Dry Ingredients Mix and whisk to combine. You should get a thick paste consistency.
- Pour the cooled down Brown Butter over the mixture, making sure to add all the brown specks in. Whisk until combined.
- Fold in the chopped chocolate chunks. Optionally, keep a little bit of the chunks to sprinkle over each chocolate financiers.
- Scoop the financier batter into the prepared tin. Using the back of a spoon or small spatula, gently spread it around if needed (see note 3). Optionally, sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chunks over each financiers.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until a skewer or small knife comes out clean. Take out of the oven and leave to cool down for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan (see note 4). Leave to cool down completely before serving.
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Notes
- If you don't want to make brown butter, simply melt the butter until liquid and set aside to cool down.
- No need to whip them into soft peaks, just have some bubbles on top.
- They will spread flat in the oven so don't worry if they aren't completely flat or even.
- If the financiers look like they are sticking to the pan even if you have greased it, you can use a small blunt knife to gently lift their sides until the cakes are released.
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