Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Fats
- 75 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 25 g virgin coconut oil, melted
Dry Ingredients
- 100 g confectioners' sugar
- 40 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g desiccated coconut, unsweetened, fine
- 20 g almond flour, blanched, fine
- 2 g fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 100 g egg white, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 145 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 9 g
- Sodium
- 81 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 13 mg
- Potassium
- 50 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 21 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 43 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 9 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the cubed unsalted butter in a small light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Melt, then continue cooking until the butter foams, milk solids separate, and it develops a nutty aroma with golden-brown flecks at the bottom.
Immediately pour the browned butter through a fine mesh sieve into a small heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. Stir in the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Add the almond flour and desiccated coconut, whisking to combine evenly.
Add the egg whites to the dry ingredients. Whisk vigorously until the mixture forms a smooth, thick paste. The friction ensures no dry spots remain.
Gradually pour the warm brown butter and coconut oil mixture into the batter in three additions, gently stirring with a whisk or spatula after each until fully emulsified into a glossy batter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap touching the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This hydrates the flours and chills the fats for a better rise.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit). Brush the financier molds generously with softened butter or pan spray. If using metal molds, chill them for 10 minutes after greasing.
Transfer the chilled batter to a piping bag (or use a spoon) and fill the prepared molds about 80 percent full.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. The cakes are done when the edges are deep golden brown and the centers spring back to the touch. The internal temperature will far exceed the safe threshold of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) for egg proteins.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the molds for 3 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Using virgin, unrefined coconut oil instead of refined neutralizes the need for artificial extracts and provides a highly aromatic, tropical bouquet.
- Resting the batter is critical. It allows the desiccated coconut and almond flour to hydrate, ensuring a chewy interior, while the chilled butter yields a dramatic temperature contrast in the oven, creating the classic financier 'hump'.
- A light-colored saucepan is essential for browning butter; dark non-stick pans obscure the color change of the milk solids, making it incredibly easy to accidentally burn the butter.
- For extra texture, you can sprinkle a pinch of raw desiccated coconut over the top of the batter in the molds just before baking.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in a sealed container.
Troubleshooting
Financiers stick to the mold
Cause: Molds were not greased adequately or batter was too warm when poured
Fix: Run a thin flexible knife or offset spatula around the edges while still warm to release.
Prevention: Ensure heavy greasing of molds and chill the batter thoroughly before baking.
Batter separates and looks oily
Cause: The brown butter was too hot when added, or it was added too quickly.
Fix: Vigorously whisk the batter until the emulsion is restored.
Prevention: Allow the butter to cool slightly and add it in slow, steady streams while whisking continuously.
Cultural Context
Financiers are classic French almond cakes originally baked by the Visitandine nuns. In the late 19th century, a Parisian baker named Lasne popularized them in the financial district. He baked them in rectangular molds to resemble gold bars, offering a luxurious, non-messy treat that busy bankers could slip into their pockets. This iteration fuses that historic Parisian technique with the tropical resonance of coconut.
