Financiers in little blocks of gold they are named after are the “gold” standard. However, it shouldn’t stop us from experimenting with shapes other than rectangular as well as testing them for baking ahead. The coffee and walnut financier recipe works in either the financier pans, regular or mini muffin pans and the high-sided Popover pans. Even madeleine molds can get into the act.
Lining up all the pans available on hand, it opens the opportunity for me to make a big batch of these fantastic and well-loved cakes. Use them as treats, for bake sales or celebration events. Who knows financiers can be so versatile and accessible?
The combination of coffee and walnut is familiar, yet sublime. A coffee and walnut financier is a perfect finishing dessert after a meal and best accompanying a cup of coffee. There is a similar recipe of coffee and pecan financier baked to order in one of Ottolenghi’s restaurants. Coffee icing or cream are entirely optional.
One core element in financiers which doesn’t change is the “beurre noisette.” Beurre noisette, or brown butter, is a sauce classically used in French cuisine, where it’s paired with both savory and sweet dishes. In French, it translates as hazelnut butter which is rich with its nutty, toasted flavor and aroma. We know butter tastes great on its own. Browning the butter in a pan until it gets the noisette (brown) butter transforms it and intensifies it; it becomes something extraordinary. Simply put, It’s one of the best flavors in the world!
We can do away with the special equipment, such as the financier pan, and use the everyday muffin tins. In addition, there is no need for the electrical mixer either. A whisk or a fork is all you need to froth up the egg white and mix the batter. After the batter comes together and chilled, they’re ready to go into the oven. Here is the good news: the batter can be made and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Once baked, financiers are best eaten on the same day.
Coffee and Walnut Financiers
Ingredients
- 80g walnut halves, plus an extra 12–24 halves, to garnish
- 120g unsalted butter, cut into 2cm cubes, plus extra for greasing
- 220g icing sugar
- 90g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 80g ground almonds
- 230g egg whites (from 6 large eggs)
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 70ml boiling water
- 1½ tsp ground espresso coffee
- ICING:
- 250g icing sugar
- 2½ tsp instant coffee granules
- 35ml hot full-fat milk
- 15g liquid glucose
Instructions
Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Spread the walnuts on a baking tray, roast for 10 minutes, then remove and, when they’re cool enough to handle, roughly chop into 0.5–1cm pieces.
START WITH THE BEURRE NOISETTE: To make the batter, start by browning the butter. Put it in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat until melted. Continue to cook until the butter is foaming, swirling the pan so the solids brown more evenly. Leave the butter to bubble away until it turns a rich golden brown, then take off the heat and leave to stand for five minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh (or muslin-lined) sieve, discarding the solids, then leave to cool slightly. It should still be warm when you fold it into the mix: if it’s too hot, it will “cook” the egg whites; if it’s too cool, it will be hard to incorporate.
COMBINE THE DRY INGREDIENTS: While the butter is cooling, sift the icing sugar, flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, then whisk in the almonds. Put the egg whites in a bowl and use a fork to froth them up a little – you don’t need to whisk them.
MIX THE BATTER: Pour the egg whites and dissolved coffee granules into the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined. Add the browned butter and mix until the batter is thick, shiny and smooth. Fold in the walnuts and ground coffee, then cover with cling-film and refrigerate for at least two hours.
BAKE: Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6. Butter the moulds of your chosen muffin tin, dust with flour and tap away any excess. Spoon the batter into each mould, filling them three-quarters full, then bake for about 25 minutes if using a regular muffin tin, 14 for a mini-muffin tin, or until the tops are a little cracked and a skewer comes out clean.
MAKE THE ICING: Make the icing while the financiers are baking. Sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth, then set aside. Don’t worry if there are undissolved coffee granules in the icing: they look good in the finished dish.
Remove the tin from the oven, set aside to cool for five minutes, then gently tap it against a work surface, to encourage the cakes to fall out. Put the financiers on a rack to cool.
To serve, spread the icing on top and finish each financier with a walnut half, a dusting of icing sugar and a little finely ground espresso.
Notes
Adapted from Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi & Helen Goh and https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/sep/02/pavlova-cheesecake-yotam-ottolenghi-dessert-millionaires-shortbread-knickerbocker-glory-recipes-sweet
2 Comments
Kim Tracy
September 18, 2022 at 5:50 pmYes, let’s do away with all the pans! These icing look so creamy and delicious. Have never used the liquid glucose before. Very interesting!
Kim Tracy
September 18, 2022 at 5:51 pmYes, let’s do away with all the pans! The icing here looks incredible. So creamy and I love the addition of the liquid glucose. Never heard of that before and I’m intrigued!