Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez Let me tell you what gets me though a terrible Tuesday morning run… I close my eyes and dream of these lovely financier pastries from Proof Bakery in Atwater Village. Hands down the best financiers in the city! I added a little twist of balsamic reduction to give it an extra kick in flavor and beauty.
These strawberry balsamic financiers are perfect for your next breakfast soiree, made from a few choice ingredients: brown butter, almond flour, strawberry and rich balsamic vinegar.
A bit of trivia… the name “financiers” is believed to have been originated from a small bakery near the Paris Bourse, the city’s financial hub. They were created for wealthy bankers who needed their sweet fix en route to the office. Gotta keep those bankers awake while they count our money.
Berries are a big hit in my family, particularly strawberries. So much so that we planted strawberries in our front yard. Liam takes great pride in the ‘one’ growing at this moment. Fingers crossed that more come in soon!
What really makes this strawberry balsamic financier ‘rich’ is the extra touch of balsamic reduction sauce. You’ll find that the reduction is super simple. Make sure you’re using a high quality Balsamic, as it will make a world of difference in the taste. Once reduced, drip sparingly across the batter.
Grab a toothpick or the sharp edge of a knife and get swirling… make figure 8’s or zigzag – all of it works. This gives it that gorgeous brown goodness once it’s baked.
Finish the top with a light sanding of sugar, then a final decorative strawberry. Pop them in the oven, and voila! You’re set. Hopefully this will supercharge your next terrible Tuesday workout. Or even better, leave one or two of these at the finish line. You’ll be done in no time.
Credits: Adapted Recipe from Hint of Vanilla Blog + Bake From Scratch Magazine
Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography
July 13, 2016 Recipe adapted from Hint of Vanilla Blog and Baked From Scratch 206g butter*, browned and cooled 200g strawberries cut into small pieces A few strawberries, sliced for tops 1 cup high quality balsalmic vinegar *brown butter is made in a saucepan over medium heat and cooking butter until it is golden brown, then remove from saucepan into a separate bowl, and let cool. Balsamic Reduction 1In a small saucepan, bring balsamic reduction to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vinegar coats the back of a spoon and reduced to about 3/4 cup. Let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to one month. Financiers 1Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed using the paddle attachment. Increase the speed to medium and add the egg whites in several additions, scraping the bowl between additions. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add the browned butter until thoroughly incorporated. Fold in the diced strawberries. 2Pour the batter into the muffin tins about two-thirds the way up. 3Drizzle balsamic reduction and swirl with a toothpick. 4Place one strawberry slice on top of each financier and sanding sugar or turbinado sugar to finish. 5Bake until golden brown and the financier is baked through all the way at its centre, about 15 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly, then invert onto cooling rack.
Strawberry Balsamic Financiers
Ingredients
Directions
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