Financiers are a traditional individual little French cakes made with almond powder and brown butter. Usually they’re rectangular but I gave them their original round shape. They’re sometimes called Visitandines, due to their original fabrication by Visitandines nuns. They used to be round like these ones but became rectangular over the years and especially after arriving in Switzerland where the Swiss decided to make them rectangular.

Financier in French also refers to people working in the finance field. It’s been said that these tiny cakes were created by a pastry chef or what we call pâtissier so that finance people would not make their fingers dirty while eating them. I don’t know if it’s true, but I think that there is always something true in popular ear-say.

After surfing the wonderful site called l’Atelier des Chefs, I saw this little dessert that tempted me and I decided to try it out. Do not hesitate to make these financiers, they’re delightful. I only substituted agave nectar to powdered sugar in the coulis which adds a more natural and flavorful touch, other than that the recipe remained the same.

Since peaches are in season, it’s the perfect time to grill them and eat them warm with these green tea cakes…and what’s better than a strawberry coulis to add the final touch? nothing. These mini cakes are very moist and absolutely perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients for about 10 financiers

For the Financiers

• 2.82 oz (or 80 g) almond flour or powder
• 1.76 oz (or 50 g) white flour
• 0.35 oz (or 10 g) matcha green tea powder
• 6.17 oz (or 175 g) powder sugar
• 5.29 oz (or 150 g) egg whites (about 3)
• 5.29 oz (or 150 g) butter

For the coulis and peaches

• 6 peaches
• 1/2 lb (or 250 g) strawberries
• agave nectar

Preparation

For the financiers

In a mixing container combine all ingredients except butter. Melt butter in a pan and let it brown. Do not let if cook too long until it becomes too dark. It needs to have a nice nutty color. Let it cool and add to the other ingredients. Divide the batter in muffin molds (fill in the molds to half). Cook in a pre heated oven at 180C.

For the coulis, blend strawberries with agave nectar.

Cut peaches in slices and grill on a skillet on both sides.

Serve financiers with grilled peaches and strawberry coulis.

What is better than a slice of moist and delicious almond cake with a cup of tea when you are looking through the windows and only see a white and grey sky? I don’t know about you, but I tend to have sweet cravings when I get into fall and winter type of weather. 

I brought mirabelle from France, it’s a hard liquor made with mirabelle fruits, they’re a kind of small and yellow plum that supposedly only grow in Lorraine region (where I grew up), don’t tell any Lorrains (people from Lorraine), but I have seen them in other parts of France too, I think they grow in iron-rich soil. Lorraine is famous for its mirabelles, and we pick them in late August or fall. They’re delicious in tarts, like tarte à la mirabelle which is a local specialty.

My parents have a huge garden with a bunch of mirabelliers (mirabelle tree) and they produce a lot of those pretty and sweet plums, so every year my dad, picks them and gives them to a friend who has the license to distill the alcohol…and here we go, he produces a lot of liters of mirabelle (I know he has over 100 bottles in his cellar). Every year when I go home, I bring back a few bottles which always remind me of home when I have a “coup de blues” (homesick).

The liquor is very flavorful and fruity, and I use it when I bake cakes like this one, it goes wonderfully with almond flavor, or if you have a tough mouth, you can sip some of it after a meal, it’s great for digestion. In my case, I can hardly drink it, it’s too strong. I have seen mirabelle at “Beverages and More” if you are interested.

I used palm sugar that is a healthy alternative to sweetener, it has a lower glycemic index than other sugars and only have 20 calories per 2 tsp. Palm sugar is produced from nectar of coconut palm trees, and it has a wonderful raw and nutty flavor.

Ingredients for 6-8 people

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 lb almond meal
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil or butter
• 1/2 cup palm sugar
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• Vanilla powder
• 2 tbs mirabelle liquor
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• white peaches (1/2 per person)
• Honey or agave nectar for the peaches
• Heavy whipping cream

Preparation

Mix eggs and almond meal. Add sugar and mix well. Add oil or butter and mix to get a smooth consistency batter. Add flours, almond extract, vanilla powder, mirabelle liquor. At the end, add baking powder and baking soda.

Bake in a pre heated oven at 370F for about 30-40 minutes. Let it cool before serving.

Cut white peaches in 6 quarters, and grill each side on a grill pan. 

Whip heavy cream, adding some vanilla powder and a little sugar.

Serve with a slice of cake, a few slices of peaches drizzled with honey or agave nectar, and serve with whipped cream on the side.