Gold Ingots

Receiving this book on the Chinese New Year Eve gave me enough time to drool over it during the long holiday. I’m so overwhelmed by the recipes, information and also the beautiful pictures. Furthermore, the recipes seem to be doable, it’s those basic cake with a variation and not like those that look really nice, sugar loaded, buying loads of ingredients and probably take a day to prepare? I love that each recipes comes in both volume and weight which will make it much easier to halve the recipe. The only complaint I have is the book is really too heavy at 512 pages and weigh 1.8kg so it’s quite impossible to hold up and read.

The first recipe I try is Gold Ingots or Financiers Classiques which I thought it’s just right for this festive season. And like many others,  I’ve plenty of egg whites left after all the baking. These are unique that they contain butter in 2 different melted forms, browned and clarified butter (beurre noisette) and whole melted butter.

According to Rose’s book, Drew Shotts of Garrison Confections in Rhode Island promised her the most melt-in-the-mouth financiers and indeed they are!

I halved the recipe and made just 8 of them. I find them a little short and should have filled the mould 2/3 full instead fo 1/2 as advised in the book.

This is posted under Rose’s baby cakes section. And I do think it’s a good idea to bake them small as they are packed with rich buttery flavour and a little almond tinge on the cake texture.

Ingredients :
66gms sliced almond, preferably unblanched (I used ground almonds)
156g unsalted butter (separate into 2 parts of 85g and 71g)
150g superfine sugar (which I used caster sugar and I reduce down to 120g)
50g pastry flour or Wondra flour  (I used cake flour)
3/4 tsp baking powder
120g egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation :
– You need financier mold, preferably silicone, 3 x 1 x 1 1/4 inches high, coated with baking spray with flour.
– Preheat oven to 190 degrees.

Method
1.  Toast the almonds – Spread almonds evenly on baking sheet and bake for 7 mins or until pale golden. Cool completely.
2. Beurre Noisette – In a small heavy saucepan, heat 85gm of the butter over low heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring constantly to prevent burning until the milk solids turn deep brown. Immediately pour the butter through the strainer to a heatproof measure. Measure 50gm and set in warm spot.
3. Melt the remaining butter – melt the remaining 71g over low heat and set it in a warm spot.
4. Grind the almonds – in a food processor, process the toasted almonds and sugar until very fine.
5. Make the batter – Using the stand mixer flat beater, mix the almond mixture, flour and baking powder on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the egg whites and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, or until well mixed. Add vanilla and beat well. On low speed, drizzle in the hot beurre noisette and then the hot melted butter. It should take about 5 mins to complete the process, give the mixture a chance to emulsify completely into a smooth golden cream.
6. Fill the molds – Fill the moulds half full.
7. Bake the financiers for 18 to 20 mins at 190 degrees until golden brown or the financiers spring back when pressed lightly in the corner.

Reciped adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum – Rose’s Heavenly Cakes
For details and more tips, please refer to the book!
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Updates : I receive some emails asking how to buy the book, I could help to order the book, please drop me an email at baking_joy@yahoo.com.sg