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    Home • Recipes • Classic French Dishes

    Financier Cakes (Financiers)

    Published: Jun 30, 2022 · Modified: Sep 8, 2023 by Jill Colonna10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Extra moist financier cakes are perfect for teatime or picnics. This quick and easy recipe uses browned butter (beurre noisette in French), giving them an extra toasted, nutty flavour and are baked in only 15 minutes. More on their history, why they are rectangular or oval, and the difference between a madeleine.

    Fantastic recipe, worked on my first try. - Sylvie

    financier teacakes in the shape of golden bars

    What are Financier Cakes?

    Financier cakes are moist almond French teacakes, either traditionally rectangular or oval in shape.

    They are simple and quick to make as only have a few ingredients: egg whites (no need to whip), butter, ground almonds, icing/powdered sugar and a little plain flour. I like to add a pinch of salt, either vanilla powder or almond extract, and top with slivered almonds.

    What's more, in pâtisserie, the financier is used as a base for many fancy bigger layer cakes. So it's an essential French recipe to have up your sleeve.

    plate of oval financier cakes
    Original oval shape from Visitandine almond cakes, renamed Financiers in Paris, 1890

    Where did Financiers Come From?

    Financiers started out as 'Visitandines', oval almond cakes made by the Holy Mary Visitandine nuns in Nancy, Lorraine.

    There are two stories:

    • they were either created in the middle ages (ref: Marie-Laure Fréchet 'On Va Déguster la France', Hachette 2017);
    • or created around the 17th century (first mentioned by Pierre Lacam, 'Le Nouveau Pâtissier-Glacier', 1878).

    If they did exist in the middle ages, what happened in between? Any almond cakes (including all kinds of French macarons) fell out of fashion around the Renaissance, as arsenic had the taste of bitter almonds.

    After the wave of political poisoning by cakes gradually subsided, these beauties returned. They apparently made up for not eating meat in the convent (less convinced on that one).  More importantly, they avoided wasting egg whites as the nuns used the yolks to mix their paint.

    The nuns needed my collection of egg yolk recipes!

    holding a golden bar shaped cake in front of the Paris Bourse
    A financier cake in front of the Paris Bourse, where they were re-created with a new name and shape in 1890

    Why is a Financier cake called Financier?

    In 1890, a pastry chef, Monsieur Lasne, completely re-marketed the Visitandine cakes. As his pâtisserie was just around the corner from la Bourse (Paris's stock exchange), he came up with a delicious, entrepreneurial idea.

    He changed the cake's shape to resemble a rectangular gold bar for his local (male) financial clients. Plus he renamed it 'le Financier'.

    Moreover, it was the perfect travel cake (gâteau de voyage). It was easy to transport without getting fingers messy - unlike other cakes in 19th century Paris with cream or sticky fruit.

    exhibition of historical patisserie in Paris

    French Teacake Time (le Goûter)

    These travel cakes then became fashionable - another reason for Monsieur Lasne to create the financier cake in 1890.

    Around this time was the elegant 'l'heure du Pâtissier' or pâtisserie hour. This is when affluent ladies would gather to taste these travel cakes in pâtisserie's tearoom establishments, either standing or seated. As gloves were not removed, it was important for cakes to be easy to handle - so Mr Lasne also got the female market rather than just the French bankers!

    This is highlighted by the painting, La Pâtisserie Gloppe by Jean Béraud (1889) at the Musée Carnavalet (rare in Paris, this museum is free!). I love how that gloved lady is eating a madeleine with her little finger in the air!

    For more on this (not the pinkie finger part!), I highly recommend a visit to the Pâtisserie exhibition in Dijon.

    For more, see my article on Dijon's Cité International de la Gastronomie.

    holding a golden bar shaped cake in front of a patisserie opposite the Paris stock exchange
    a little financier teacake, reflecting the Paris stock exchange where Monsieur Lasne's clients came to enjoy them
    madeleine cake with a cup of tea
    A madeleine cake with its traditional hump and scalloped shape is different to the more moist Financier

    Madeleine vs Financier

    Financiers are richer than their more cake-like cousins madeleines.

    Financiers are also more moist due to the higher content of butter, whilst madeleines are more dry with much more wheat flour and only a couple of eggs.

    Unlike financiers, madeleines also use baking powder. Perhaps the biggest difference is their shape. French madeleines are traditionally baked in scallop-shaped moulds or tins. What's more, a madeleine isn't a madeleine without its characteristic hump.

    mini teacakes cooling on a rack out of the oven

    How to Store and Freeze

    Financiers are best eaten fresh on the day of baking. So if you have a large batch, bake only half the amount and keep the rest of the dough covered in the fridge for up to 2 days until ready to use.

    Freeze any extra baked cakes for up to a month in a well-sealed container. It's like having money in the bank for teatime!

    two kinds of rectangular or oval cake moulds

    Financier Cake Tins/Moulds

    In France, Financier cake tins are traditionally rectangular and come in regular (small cake) sizes or mini (as shown here). However, oval moulds are also used to continue the French tradition of the original Visitandine cakes.

    Can't find the moulds or tins where you live? No worries. Financiers can easily be made using mini muffin moulds or other pretty little cake tins - they still taste as good! However, to be authentic, Financiers are normally recognisable as rectangular gold bar shapes.If you see chocolate chip versions of financiers using savarin moulds, they are called Financiers but Tigrés (see variations below).

    Do you need to butter the moulds? As this recipe uses a lot of butter (financiers should be rich - pun intended!) they slip out quite easily from tins without buttering. Even better, they literally fall out from silicone moulds (good since only a short baking time so won't be rubbery tasting). Metallic tins are also very popular in French hypermarkets and speciality baking stores.

    different shapes and flavours for the same cake dough

    Financier Variations

    The beauty of financier cakes is that they are quick and easy to vary with different flavours.  Here are some variations we love at home:

    • Add a tablespoon of matcha tea powder for a Japanese touch;
    • Replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts or pistachios;
    • Replace flaked almonds and top with finely chopped strawberries or a redcurrant/blueberry on each. Beware of adding whole large raspberries or strawberries on mini cakes, as their water content can affect the batter.
    • The addition of chocolate chips turns financiers into Tigré cakes. Normally baked in French savarin tins (like a doughnut), the cavity is filled with ganache.  Same idea if you prefer adding whole berries - fill the cavity with them after the cakes are baked.
    preparing ingredients and cake moulds for baking
    Weigh out ingredients and prepare the browned butter
    golden bar shaped financier cakes

    Baking Tips for Making Financiers

    • Take an extra 10 minutes to brown the butter in a saucepan for that extra nutty flavour. Then add it to the rest of the ingredients, leaving any burned bits of butter at the bottom of the pan;
    • Before transferring to the moulds or tins, leave the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes. This will make it much easier to spoon or pipe into the moulds;
    • If making many mini financiers, use a piping bag to pipe out quickly and more uniformly into the moulds. Don't have a piping bag? Simply snip off the corner of a freezer bag;
    • Don't have any egg whites ready? First make any of these recipes with 2 egg yolks such as French rice pudding or Palets Bretons. Ideally make the yolk recipes first then set aside the leftover egg whites in a jar in the fridge (can keep for about 5 days or freeze) for this recipe.
    step by step making financier cakes

    Financier Cake Recipe

    This recipe comes from my book, Teatime in Paris: A Walk Through Easy Pâtisserie Recipes (2015), which has two more financier recipes. These include a gluten free version with pear and hazelnut, plus mini tigrés with chocolate chips and filled with a dark chocolate ganache.

    With thanks to my book publishers, Waverley Books, for permission to post this on the website.

    little golden almond financiers topped with flaked almonds and some with redcurrants
    golden bar shaped financier cakes

    Financier Cakes

    Jill Colonna
    Moist buttery almond French teacakes made with egg whites, browned butter, ground almonds, sugar and a little flour. Authentically shaped as a gold bar or oval to reflect the cake's history. Makes 18 classic financier cakes (or 30 mini).
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Resting Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Party Food, Picnics, Snack, teatime
    Cuisine French
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 170 kcal

    Equipment

    • financier cake moulds either rectangular or oval shaped (if not, mini muffin moulds)

    Ingredients
      

    • 140 g (5½oz) egg whites from approx 4 medium organic eggs
    • 140 g (5½oz/ 10 tbsp) unsalted butter cut into bits
    • 120 g (4½oz/ 1¼ cups) ground almonds (almond flour)
    • 140 g (5½oz/1 cup) icing/confectioner's sugar
    • 50 g (2oz/ 6 tbsp) plain all-purpose flour
    • pinch salt (fleur de sel)
    • 3 drops almond extract (or vanilla)
    • 1 tablespoon slivered almonds (for decor)

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6. Measure out the egg white and set aside.
    • Brown the butter: melt the chopped butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter starts to foam, continue for another 5 minutes or until it starts to turn light golden brown (like its name 'beurre noisette', it should be the colour of hazelnuts). To tell it's ready, the butter will start to 'chirp' like a bird. Take off the heat and set aside.
    • Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the egg whites and mix in the slightly cooled browned butter. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
    • Place the moulds on a baking sheet. Using a spoon, fill silicone moulds and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
    • Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes (or 10 mins if using mini moulds)

    Notes

    Serve freshly baked with Darjeeling or jasmine green tea.
    Measures: Please note that all my recipes are best made using digital kitchen scales in precise metric grams. Both ounces (and cups) are given as a guide. 
    Financier Cake Variations: replace the almond flour with ground hazelnuts or pistachios; add a teaspoon of Matcha green tea powder; or top with a redcurrant or tiny piece of chopped fresh or candied fruits.
    Recipe with kind permission from Waverley Books from my book,
    'Teatime in Paris; A Walk Through Easy French Pâtisserie Recipes'.
    Keyword almond cakes, financier cakes, financiers, french teacakes, friandes

    Have you made this recipe either here or from my book?
    Please leave a rated review below. It means the world. Thank you.

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    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

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    1. Lucie

      September 10, 2023 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      They’re always a hit when I bring them to parties, love this recipe mum

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        September 11, 2023 at 11:18 am

        Love that these financiers are party-goers too, Lucie! Thanks x

        Reply
    2. Lynne

      June 17, 2023 at 4:29 pm

      I want to make these to go with my crème caramel but don’t want so many can you half this recipe or does that ruin it?

      Tks

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        June 17, 2023 at 4:32 pm

        Hi Lynne,
        Of course you can half the recipe - it's no problem. I do this all the time too! Let me know how you get on.

        Reply
    3. Sylvie

      July 05, 2022 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic recipe, worked on my first try

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 06, 2022 at 7:34 pm

        Very happy you like them, Sylvie. Thanks for your support x

        Reply
    4. Charlie

      July 05, 2022 at 8:13 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe. Freeze really well

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        July 06, 2022 at 7:36 pm

        Thanks Charlie. Realise I didn't mention about freezing - so thanks for your feedback.

        Reply
    5. Antoine COLONNA

      July 03, 2022 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for educating me on the history of Financiers! They’re so delicious every time too
      Thanks Jill

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        June 15, 2023 at 2:53 pm

        Lovely words from my financier 🙂 Merci x

        Reply

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