Nutty Mulberry Financiers

Cookbook Countdown Specials : Bake is a baking event, which I'm co-hosting with Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray.  This is a "spin-off" from our on-going monthly Cookbook Countdown. Cookbook Countdown Specials : Bake is for baking desserts ; pastries, cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, breads. While the monthly Cookbook Countdown is to use from one selected cookbook each month, for CC Specials : Bake, you may use any baking cookbooks of your choice, either from one single cookbook or from numerous books. The link is open from October to end December. You may link your post here. Do join us, everyone is welcome!

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The next recipe I've made from Williams-Sonoma : Home Baked Comfort by Kim Laidlaw is Nutty Raspberry Financiers, a recipe, courtesy from La Tartine Gourmande. 

Raspberry is very expensive and it is not always available. So I've used some frozen mulberries, of which I've collected and kept frozen, from my one and only small little mulberry plant in a pot. Since financiers uses only egg whites instead of whole eggs, this is a great way of using up the frozen egg whites accumulating in my freezer!

These financiers are gluten-free, using almond meal, hazelnut flour and rice flour. I have reduced the sugar to 80gm and the sweetness was just right. A vanilla bean is split, seeds scraped out and both the seeds with it's pod, and butter is placed in a small saucepan, over medium heat until the butter melts, starts to brown lightly and smells nutty. I have however omitted the vanilla bean, and have used vanilla extract which is added to the batter later. Let the butter cool slightly.

Beat the egg whites to the dry ingredients, add the butter in three batches, mixing well after each addition. I've added the vanilla extract at this stage. Divide the batter between the muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes. This recipe yields 6 muffins instead of  8. 

Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

Moist, soft with nutty aroma. The mulberries works out great. These little gluten-free mini cakes, as the author says, "They are the perfect afternoon snack served alongside a hot cup of tea".

Nutty Raspberry Financiers
(adapted from "Home Baked Comfort", Kim Laidlaw)
makes 8 financiers
1/2 cup (2 oz/60gm) almond meal
1/3 cup (1 oz/30gm) hazelnut flour
1/4 cup (1 oz/30gm) amaranth flour or white rice flour
1/2 cup (4 oz/125gm) granulated sugar (I use 80gm)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 vanilla bean (replaced with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, to be added into the batter later)
7 tbsp (3-1/2 oz/105gm) unsalted butter
4 large egg whites
24 raspberries (I use frozen mulberries)
confectioners' sugar for serving

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F (180C). Line 8 standard muffin cups with paper liners or grease with butter. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the almond meal and hazelnut flour on the prepared sheet and bake until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
In a bowl, using a whisk, combine the toasted almond meal and hazelnut flour, amaranth flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with the back of a paring knife. In a small saucepan, combine the vanilla bean and seeds with the butter. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts, starts to brown lightly, and has a nutty aroma. Let cool for 3-4 minutes.
Beat the egg whites into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter mixture in 3 additions, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla extract.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups and top with the raspberries, pressing them gently into the batter. Bake until the financiers are lightly golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

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