Recipe - Butter Almond Financier

1 cup Whole almonds; about 5
ounces
1 One half cup Sugar
1 cup Bleached all purpose flour
10 tablespoon Unsalted butter
2 tablespoon Dark rum
2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
8 lg Egg whites
1 pn Salt
One fourth cup Sliced; blanched almonds,
about 1 ounce
Confectioners sugar for
finishing

Butter and line with parchment a 10 by 2inch deep layer pan. Set rack at
the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Place the almonds and Three fourths cup of the sugar in a food processor and pulse
until the mixture is finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the
flour. Melt the butter, allow it to cook until it colors; cool slightly and
add the rum and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a clean dry bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt until they form a
very soft peak. Add the remaining Three fourths cup sugar in a very slow stream,
whipping constantly. Continue whipping the egg whites until they hold a
soft peak. Alternately fold the almond and butter mixtures into the egg
whites, 1/3 at a time. Begin with the almond mixture and end with the
butter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and sprinkle
with the cut or sliced up almonds. Bake the Financier for about 50 minutes until well
risen and golden The center of the cake should feel firm when pressed with
the palm of the hand. Cool the financier briefly on a rack and remove pan
and paper. If some of the almonds on the surface fall off, replace them on
the cake. Dust very lightly with confectioners' sugar.

Yield: one 10inch cake

Recipe by: Cooking Live Show #CL8958

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #791 by "Angele and Jon Freeman"
jfreeman@netusa1.net on Sep 19, 1997