Financiers

Ingredients

• 60 g dark chocolate couverture
• 150 g butter
• 5 egg whites
• 250 g powdered sugar
• 135 g finely ground almonds (peeled)
• 60 g flour
• 1 untreated lemon (zest)
• butter (for the molds)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 230°C. Grease the financier molds well.

2. 2.

   Finely chop the chocolate. Melt the butter over medium heat, optionally whisking a bit and heating until it turns lightly brown (nutty butter). Then let the butter cool to room temperature.

3. 3.

   In a large mixing bowl beat the egg whites into stiff peaks. Mix in sifted powdered sugar, almonds, sifted flour, and lemon zest. Add the butter to the meringue and fold gently. Fold in the chocolate and pour the batter into the prepared molds. Smooth the tops and bake in the oven for about 5 minutes at 230°C, then another 5 minutes at 200°C. Turn off the oven and let the cakes rest in the oven for an additional ~5 minutes.

4. 4.

   Let the financiers cool slightly, carefully remove them from the molds, and allow them to cool completely.