Here is an easy and quick recipe for pistachio financiers, little French almond cakes made with ground pistachios, brown butter, and beaten egg whites. They are perfect for morning coffee and afternoon tea and are a great lunch box idea.
Most of the classic financiers are made with almond flour, sometimes adding hazelnut flour, but this financier recipe also uses ground pistachios. That is why such pistachio cakes are called 'pistachiers' in France.
This pistachio financier recipe was adapted from the original recipe by the French chef Gaston Lenôtre.
He used pistachio paste to make his cakes. But what if to replace it with ground pistachios and sprinkle cakes with chopped nuts? It would bring an additional texture and give a green tint to financiers.
What is a financier?
A financier (pronounced fee-nahn-see-AY) is a small French almond cake made with brown (hazelnut) butter and baked in a special financier mold.
History of financiers
Nuns baked similar cakes called 'visitandines' in the middle ages. Later, in 1890, a Parisian pastry chef Lasne created cakes called "financiers" in the shape of gold bullion.
They were consumed mainly by wealthy financiers who worked in his neighborhood near the Place de la Bourse - the financial district of Paris.
French financiers have been known for more than 100 years. However, they have recently begun serving clients at some restaurants in America.
Financier molds
The authentic financiers have a rectangular shape resembling a rectangular gold bar and are baked in a special financier mold.
Most of them are made of silicone, which is very convenient because you do not need to grease them. Make sure to read about baking with silicone molds. If you use a carbon steel mold, you will need to butter and flour each cavity.
Can you bake financiers in a muffin mold?
You can bake financiers in a mini muffin pan, filling each cavity up to two-thirds. The cakes will not have the authentic rectangular shape, so your cakes will likely be called muffin(n)-iers (adding the French suffix -ier to the English word "muffin").
Depending upon the size of your muffin cups, you must adjust the baking time, adding a few more minutes.
Pistachio financier recipe
- This easy recipe takes 30 minutes to make 16 financiers.
- It uses leftover egg whites.
- Financier cakes are loaded with nutty flavor due to brown butter and texture due to ground pistachios.
- Packed in a gift box, they make a great edible holiday gift.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Almond flour: Use blanched, finely ground almond flour, almond meal, or ground almonds. Do not press almond flour or meal into a measuring cup; otherwise, you will end up with more flour than you need.
- Icing sugar: Use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder to make it yourself, or use store-bought powdered sugar.
- Flour: Use all-purpose regular flour, the same as plain flour.
- Pistachios: The recipe calls for raw pistachios. To make ground pistachios, place nuts into a grinder or food processor. Pulse pistachios a few times until they look like breadcrumbs. It is crucial not to over-grind nuts; otherwise, they will turn into nut butter.
- Baking powder: Make sure to use fresh aluminum-free baking powder.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter; do not replace it with margarine.
- Egg whites: Use egg whites at room temperature, but separate them from the egg yolks while whole eggs are chilled. For better success, weigh the ingredients, especially egg whites, with a kitchen scale.
Pro tip: Use leftover egg yolks to make creme Anglaise, Italian pastry cream, or Palet Breton.
- Sugar: Use regular granulated white sugar.
- Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the flavor of financiers.
How to make pistachio financiers
Step 1. To make the brown butter, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once it is ready (look for the golden brown color, hazelnut smell, and brown solids at the bottom of the pan), pour the butter into another bowl to stop cooking.
Pro tip: Consult the beurre noisette recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 2. Let it cool to room temperature. Leave dark bits (milk solids) in the butter.
Step 3. To make the batter, place almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, powdered (icing) sugar, and ground pistachios in a bowl and mix with a hand whisk or an electric mixer (photo 1).
Pro tip: This step is necessary in order to aerate the mixture and avoid lumps.
Step 4. Pour the brown butter and mix with a rubber spatula (photo 2).
Step 5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with granulated sugar and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer for 20-30 seconds (photo 3). Egg whites have to be slightly mounted. Divide the whites into three parts.
Step 6. Add the first part of egg whites to the main preparation and mix well with a hand whisk. Add the second and the third parts of whites, each time vigorously mixing with a whisk (photo 4).
Step 7. Cover the batter with a plastic film in contact and refrigerate for one hour.
Step 8. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Using a piping bag or a spoon, fill each cavity of a financier mold up to ⅔ and sprinkle with chopped pistachios (photo 5).
Step 9. Bake cakes for 12 minutes. Let them cool for 3-5 minutes (photo 6), and take cakes from the mold.
To serve, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Expert Tips
- Multiply all the ingredients by 1.5 and bake financiers in a mini muffin pan. Butter and flour each cavity and increase the baking time, adding a few more minutes.
- Replace chopped pistachios with 1 to 3 fresh raspberries to place on top of each financier before baking.
Storing and freezing
Financiers are best enjoyed on the same day of baking since their texture slightly deteriorates in a few hours. Store pistachio financiers in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days (according to some chefs - for a week).
Can you freeze pistachio financiers? You can freeze financiers well-wrapped in plastic and aluminum foil for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQ
You can use store-bought or homemade pistachio flour instead of ground pistachios, but it will slightly change the texture of your financers.
Love French tea cakes? Try these next!
- Classic French madeleines
- Raspberry madeleines
- Lemon poppy seed madeleines
- Blackberry friands
- Raspberry friands
- Chocolate financiers
- Browse all the small cake recipes
Want more delicious and beautiful recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for my latest updates. If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and comment below!
PrintRecipe card
Traditional Pistachio Financier Recipe
Pistachio financiers are little French almond cakes made with ground pistachios, brown butter, and beaten egg whites. They are perfect for morning coffee and afternoon tea and are a great lunch box idea.
- Total Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
For the batter:
- ⅓ cup + 4 teaspoons (40 g) almond flour (ground almonds)
- ⅔ cup + 4 ½ tablespoons (120 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (70 g) all-purpose flour
- 2.6 oz (75 g) ground raw pistachios
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 5.3 oz (150 g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (160 g) egg whites, room temperature (see note #3)
- 1 ½ tablespoons (20 g) granulated sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
For the decoration:
- chopped raw pistachios
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
- To make the brown butter, melt unsalted butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once it is ready (look for the brown color, hazelnut smell, and brown solids at the bottom of the pan), pour the butter into another bowl to stop cooking. Let it cool to room temperature (leave dark bits will in the butter).
- To make the batter, place almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, powdered (icing) sugar, and ground pistachios in a bowl and mix with a hand whisk or an electric mixer. Pour the brown butter and mix with a rubber spatula.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with granulated sugar and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer for 20-30 seconds. Egg whites have to be slightly mounted. Divide the whites into three parts.
- Add the first part of egg whites to the main preparation and mix well with a hand whisk. Add the second and the third parts of whites, each time vigorously mixing with the whisk. Cover the batter with a plastic film on contact and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Using a pastry bag or a spoon, fill each cavity of a financier mold up to ⅔ and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Bake cakes for 12 minutes. Let them cool for 3-5 minutes, and take cakes from the mold.
Notes
- 160 g egg whites, approximately equal to 5 ½ raw fresh egg whites from medium size chicken eggs.
- Consult the brown butter recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
- Multiply all the ingredients by 1.5 and bake financiers in a mini muffin pan. Butter and flour each cavity and increase the baking time, adding a few more minutes.
- Replace chopped pistachios with 1 to 3 fresh raspberries to place on top of each financier before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 financier
- Calories: 167
- Sugar: 8.8 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 11.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.1 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from www.cuisinedaubery.com. It was originally published on May 16, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.
Jenn says
I love these little cooking/cake hybrids, and I love pistachios, so this recipe is a perfect match for me! I can't wait to try it!
Irina says
I love how you call these cuties:) Thanks, Jenn.
Sally says
Love French recipes, and this one is no exception ... so moist and flavorful!
Irina says
Thanks, Sally. Please, stay tuned for more French recipes to come.
Anita says
I love financiers, and I love that you are giving a clear guide to bake these in a mini muffin pan. It's hard to justify buying another cake pan when I already have a cabinet full of cake, pie, and tart pans. 🙂
Irina says
It is true that you can bake these cute cakes in any mold you have on hand: mini muffin mold, mini madeleine mold, etc. They are cute and tasty. Thank you, Anita, for your comment.
Sara Welch says
I've never made anything like this before, but you've inspired me to give this a try! Looks too good to pass up!
Irina says
Thank you, Sara. Happy baking and enjoy!
Katie says
Looks so good! I know my family would go nuts over this.
Irina says
You have made me smile. So, treat yourself and your family with these cuties, Katie.
Carrie Robinson says
I just love how quickly this comes together! 🙂
Noelle says
So delicious! The expert tips sections helped me a lot when I was making it, thank you! 🙂
Irina says
You are very welcome, Noelle! I am happy to hear that you loved the brownies!
Krissy Allori says
I've never had these before but the recipe looks like something I would love. I'm going to try this very soon.
Irina says
Yes, it is a new presentation of brownies, Krissy. Please, let me know how your baking went.
Danielle says
I can really see myself enjoying this deliciousness with a cup of my favorite hot drink. Yum!
Irina says
It is a great idea, Danielle! Please, enjoy the recipe.
Sara Welch says
This was exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth! Perfectly light and delicious!
Irina says
Perfect, Sara! I am glad that you liked the recipe. Thanks!
Bintu says
Oh wow, these look like the perfect treats! I am definitely going to try making these - yum!
Irina says
Thank you, Bintu! Happy baking and enjoy it.
Emily Liao says
This came out great! A soft texture and loved the hints of pistachio in it.
Irina says
It is wonderful that you loved the recipe, Emily! Thanks!
Jessica Formicola says
I made this over the weekend, and it was delicious! I love that pistachio flavor!
Irina says
Yes, it is a perfect baking project for a weekend and every day, too. Thanks for letting me know that financiers turned out great, Jessica.
Rhonda Albom says
These are great! And not too difficult either. We had financiers in France, but it never occurred to me that I could make them at home. Big thanks from the whole family.
Irina says
Yes, now you have the perfect recipe to try them at home. 🙂 Happy baking and enjoy it, Rhonda!
Jacque Hastert says
This would be the perfect treat with my afternoon tea. It's perfect for my friends and family, I can't wait to start baking.
Dana says
Love, love, love this recipe. French financiers are my favorite but I always was reluctant to make them as I thought the recipe would be very complicated. I came across this recipe and decided to give it a go. It was super easy, and my financiers turned out beautiful and delicious. Safe to say, I have found an easy, tasty recipe for my favorite French cakes and will be definitely making them again.
Irina says
Dana, thanks a lot for your comment. I am so happy to hear that the recipe perfectly worked for you. And thank you very much for sharing a picture of your baking! Your financiers look impressively delicious. 🙂
Andrea says
Hi Irina, Just wanted to let you know that I baked the financiers on the weekend and they turned out really well. The main flavor that seemed to come through was the butter. I couldn't really taste the pistachios. For decoration, I added 2 fresh raspberries on each financier instead of the chopped pistachios...it gave it a bit of a zing. Overall, I was very happy with how the financiers turned out. I wanted to ask you, though, why it's necessary to chill the batter for an hour?
Irina says
Hi Andrea, I am happy to hear that you loved the recipe. As for chilling the batter, it could be omitted like in the recipe for Brown Butter Financiers. But I like to chill the batter trying to get a little bump on top of financiers. Surely, it is not that bump as for French Madeleines. Some French chefs actually recommend chilling the financier batter overnight. So, you have two options: to chill the batter or bake financiers right away.