Matcha financiers: the melt-in-the-mouth, easy recipe
The financier is the simplest little French cake there is: ground almonds, egg whites and brown butter. With matcha, it takes on a pretty green colour and a grassy note that goes wonderfully with almond. Plain or with raspberries, here's the recipe, ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients (makes 12 financiers)
- •100 g butter
- •60 g ground almonds
- •40 g plain flour
- •120 g icing sugar
- •2 teaspoons of matcha (about 4 g)
- •1 pinch of salt
- •3 egg whites (about 100 g)
- •Optional: a dozen raspberries
Method, step by step
Preheat the oven to 200 °C (390 °F). Melt the butter in a small saucepan and let it cook until it turns golden and smells nutty. Strain it and leave it to cool slightly.
Sift the ground almonds, flour, icing sugar and matcha together, then add the salt. Pour in the egg whites, without beating them, and whisk to combine. Finally, stir in the warm brown butter until the batter is smooth.
Fill buttered financier moulds three-quarters full. If you like, press one or two raspberries into each financier. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes: the edges should be golden and the centre still soft.
The trick for a really green financier
The financier's short baking time is ideal for matcha: it doesn't have time to dull. Don't go beyond 12 minutes, and if you have time, rest the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking for an even more melting texture.
Indulgent variations
- •Raspberry: the classic, the fruit's tartness answering the sweetness of the almond.
- •White chocolate: a few chips in the batter for a more indulgent version.
- •Pistachio: replace half the ground almonds with ground pistachios.
Frequently asked questions
Why use brown butter?+
Brown butter gives the financier its signature, slightly toasty flavour, which pairs beautifully with almond and matcha. Plain melted butter works, but the result is less fragrant.
What can I do with the egg yolks?+
They're perfect for a crème anglaise, a crème brûlée or our homemade matcha ice cream, which happens to call for exactly three.
How long do financiers keep?+
Three to four days in an airtight container. They're often even better the next day, once the flavours have developed.