Pistachio and Raspberry Financiers
Pistachio and Raspberry Financiers are the perfect little sweet to serve when you want a fun pick me up. Made with a base of pistachio and topped with one tart Driscoll’s raspberry, these elegant but easy treats are the perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea.
If you haven’t heard of or made financiers before, today is your opportunity to change that. Oh, and you simply must. These petite little sweets are perfect alongside tea or coffee, or just a perfect little treat to grab and go. In fact, that’s how the name “financier” originated: a French pastry chef created these cakes near the end of the nineteenth century for stockbrokers’ afternoon pick-me-up.
That’s just one of the fun little tidbits of French history you’ll find tucked between the pages of Dorie Greenspan’s new book, Baking Chez Moi: Recipes from My Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere
. Now, I’ll be honest with you here: baking is not my forte, and the idea of attempting French creations sort of scares me to bits. But that’s the great thing about Dorie’s new book; her collection of uncomplicated French desserts accompanied by delightfully easy written instructions ensures that even the newbie baker has success with every recipe.
From Apple Weekend Cake to Bubble Eclairs to Cranberry Crackle Tart, you’ll soon find that elegant desserts don’t have to be difficult. Trust me, if I can make these dangerously addictive Pistachio and Raspberry Financiers, anyone can!
The process is really very simple, and the ingredient list is short (usually one of my main requirements when deciding whether or not I want to make a baked good). These do take a little bit of pre-planning: you’ll want your batter to chill overnight. Otherwise, you need just 7 ingredients, and most of them you probably already have in your kitchen.
The base of financiers is traditionally almonds or hazelnuts. However, this version uses pistachios, and lots of butter! But it’s the butter that makes these little cakes super moist and luscious, and since we’re going to bake them in a mini-muffin tin, you don’t have to feel super guilty about eating them. 😉
You’ll plunk just one raspberry on top, but it’s just the right amount in this bite-sized treat.
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¾ cup shelled pistachios, raw and unsalted
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of fine sea salt
- ½ pint (1 cup) fresh raspberries
- Put the butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it melts and only just begins to take on a pale golden color. Pour the butter into a measuring cup with a spout and set aside.
- Use a fork to stir the egg whites in a small bowl just enough to break them up; set aside.
- Put the pistachios and the sugar in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are ground (it's okay if you have some chunks here and there). Add the flour and salt; pulse again to blend, and then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
- Pour the egg whites into the bowl and using a whisk or spatula, stir gently until they are blended into the nut mixture. Gradually add the butter to the mixture. It will seem like a LOT of butter, but keep stirring lightly and soon you'll have a thick, shiny batter. Perfection!
- Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and chill for at least 8 hours (up to 2 days).
- Center a rack in the over and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the molds of a mini-muffin tin with nonstick spray and place the pan on a baking sheet.
- Fill each mold half full with the chilled batter. Place 1 raspberry in the center of each cup.
- Bake the financiers for 24 to 28 minutes, rotating halfway through. The tops will be springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean when the cookies are done. Run a table knife around the edges of the muffins to detach them from the pan then cookies onto a rack. Allow to cool to room temperature.
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Hello There!
Interestingly enough, I didn’t grow up with an interest in cooking. In fact, I informed my mother on multiple occasions that I was not getting an advanced education so I could spend my evenings preparing meals.
Grab My Cookbook!
My fave baked good is chocolate chip banana bread
My favorite baked good is chocolate chip cookies.
I love brownies!
I have had to be more discriminating about cookbooks, but always have to make room for Dorie.
Anything with Chocolate, cookies, cakes, whatever…lol
My favor it is chocolate chip cookies! Yum!
Love muffins, with any kind of fruit
Love love love fidget brownies…with ice cream, of course!!
my favorite baked goods are anything in puff pastry with some kind of fruit.
Bundt cakes are my favorite, love making a finishing glaze that glistens!
Donuts!!
I love all the breads….my favorite is rye
I’m fond of quick breads (especially zucchini) and coffee cakes.
My favorite baked goodies are homemade Fresh Apple Cake and homemade New York Cheesecake.
My favorite baked goods are homemade bread and spicy molasses cookies.
I am starting to get into cooking from scratch and it would be nice to win some good cooking items to help me along the way and maybe not feel so intimidated.
love this recipe and always love trying something new – would love to win this cookbook
I guess the fact that I don’t twitter leaves me out of the contest – FB and Pinterest is as far as I go
Certainly pumpkin pie and any type of cookie!
Cookies are my favorite baked good.
My favorite baked good – well, it’s a toss up between homemade chocolate chip cookies and brownies. I love them both!!
Cookies
I love cinnamon rolls and my grandma’s kolache.
My favorite bake item is pie. Just love pie, especially raisin pie.
I love to make sugar cookies with my grandkids.