Almond Financier Recipe: How to Make a Gluten-Free Tea Cake

Almond Financier Recipe: How to Make a Gluten-Free Tea Cake
Never heard of a financier? You’re in for a tea treat!
These golden little tea cakes are simple, tasty, easily made gluten-free, and—just to make you feel fancy—they’re French! Très chic! Whipping up a batch of tea cakes with this almond financier recipe will make you sound like a gourmet pâtissière—when really it comes together as easily as a simple muffin recipe. Maximum bragging rights with minimum effort? Oui, merci!

How to Make Almond Financiers


Financiers are set apart by three simple ingredients: almond flour, egg whites, and browned butter—which the French call beurre noisette, or hazelnut butter, for its beautiful amber color and mild nutty flavor.
The browned butter is what really makes this recipe shine—and it’s way more satisfying than just melting a stick of butter in the microwave. (Bonus—you don’t have to worry about it exploding and leaving you with a sticky mess to clean up!)
Browning butter couldn’t be easier, and it only takes a few minutes. You simply melt butter on your stove over medium heat and let it bubble until it turns a lovely caramel color. And that’s how you kick butter up a notch!
You may decide it’s done when the butter reaches a rich amber, or you may let it sit long enough to deepen to the color of maple syrup, but you’ll know it’s done by any one of the following clues:
  • The bubbles become smaller and stop sizzling
  • The aroma in your kitchen is to die for
  • The little brown bits at the bottom of the pan look like they are in danger of over-browning and turning black—don’t let them do that!
Once your butter is complete, it will smell amazing—the scent reminds me of a sticky toffee or caramel chew. Set it aside and let it cool for a while. The exact temperature isn’t that important—you just want to be sure that it doesn’t scramble your egg whites when you combine your ingredients!
A quick tip on separating eggs: you can crack all of your eggs into a bowl and gently remove the yolks with loosely clawed fingers or a slotted spoon. It’s a great time saver when you’re working with more than one or two eggs!
If you shy away from cooking with egg whites only because you don’t like to waste those yolks, use them to whip up a quick custard. Both this Earl Grey pie and this dairy-free coconut custard use just the right amount of egg yolks to pair with your almond financier recipe! Or treat yourself to an at-home spa day and use them in a facial or hair treatment!

What to Pair with Financiers: Un Ensemble Parfait


If you love all things almond, we’ve got you covered: almond cookies, almond tarts, almond scones, almond pancakes…or straight-up roasted almonds (with a sweet and smoky twist!)
I could go on. And I will!
Almond pancakes, almond brittle, almond biscotti, more almond cookies…and of course, almond tea. When it comes to almonds, Plum Deluxe knows how to get nutty.
And this almond financier recipe gives you even more to love! It has a spongy texture with a light crisp on top and a dark, delicious outer ring that provides a subtle contrast in both texture and color. The flavor is mild in its sweetness—not unlike a cornbread—and pairs very nicely with a little drizzle of honey.
If you like a bright touch of lemon in your tea cakes, consider basting your financiers with the honey lemon glaze included below for a lemon-sponge-cake-like taste sensation! Pair it with a cup of Royal Wedding black tea with lemon and elderflower or your favorite lemon tea.
If you really love those almond vibes, try a splash of almond extract to highlight the flavor and compliment the nuttiness of the browned butter! A spot of Caramel Almond black tea will round it out nicely!
Any nutty tea will be an excellent pairing for your financiers. Picard Blend is always a fan favorite, and what’s not to love about a Pecan Earl Grey? Or you can lean into both the almond and hazelnut notes with Toasted Nut Brulee Oolong or No Obligations black tea.
Almond and cherry are a natural pairing, so brew up a pot of Garden Grove green tea—a delicate cherry jasmine tea that is sure to delight. Steep yourself a heady cuppa and fall in love!
For a less traditional fruity pairing, I’m a fan of the Sweet Georgie peach black tea. The hint of caramel perfectly accents the toastiness of the browned butter, and the grounding walnut is a natural complement to the earthy tones of the almond flour. And peach and almond, while not as popular of a pairing as cherry and almond, is no less delicious!

Let’s Get Cooking—Bon Appetit!


Once you’ve whipped up your batch of financiers, snap a picture and share it with us on social media @plumdeluxe so we can all praise you for the chef gourmand you are! Bon appetit, mes amis!

Almond Financier Recipe


Ingredients:
  • 1 stick (8 ounces) butter
  • 3/4 cup almond meal/flour
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons flour of choice (All-Purpose or Gluten-Free)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup egg whites (4-5 eggs)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Ingredients for optional glaze:
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
If baking financiers the same day, pre-heat oven to 400°F.
Add butter to a wide-bottomed skillet over medium heat. (Can preheat pan or add butter to the cold pan—either way will work.) Let it melt, swirling every so often to distribute the heat evenly. Allow butter to deepen in color until bubbles are small and no longer sizzling, and butter has taken on a lovely golden color and nutty/caramel smell. Do not let little bits at the bottom turn black!
When finished, remove butter from heat and set it aside to cool slightly.
As your butter cooks, whisk together dry ingredients (almond flour, powdered sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.)
Separate your egg whites (save yolks for another recipe or facial!)
Once butter is cool enough to handle, stir your egg whites into your dry ingredients. (To avoid lumpy batter, you can make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the egg whites, working from the center outward. But don’t overthink it! It will be good either way.)
Stir browned butter into the batter, mixing gently until fully incorporated. Chill batter anywhere from 1 hour or overnight*, or pour directly into prepared muffin tin. (See below.)
Using a paper towel or basting brush, grease standard muffin tin with leftover butter from skillet. Divide batter equally between the 12 spots.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges and financiers spring back when lightly pressed.
Gently run a knife around the edge of each financier to avoid sticking to the pan. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Optional glaze: While financiers are cooking, combine honey and lemon juice. When financiers are removed from the oven, brush each one with the glaze. If any remains, you can brush them again just before serving or cut them in half and use the glaze place of (or in combination with!) butter.
Yield: 12 standard-sized muffins
Many financier recipes instruct you to chill the batter, but I am impatient and rarely take the time, and I always love the final result anyway!

Erica Jolly

Erica Jolly is a born and raised Pacific North Westerner. Rainwater flows through her veins. She is a tea drinker by day, wine drinker by night, and lover of food, yoga, and rambling conversations.
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