Financiers

YIELD 24 mini financiers

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a mini muffin pan with butter or cooking spray (or line the tins with paper liners). I use a silicone pan for easy removal.
To brown the butter, place butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and melt. Keep heating just until small golden bits start to appear at the bottom, and the butter smells nutty and caramely. Watch it carefully because the butter can burn quickly at this point. Remove from the heat and immediately pour melted butter into a small bowl. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
In a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, almond meal, flour, baking powder and salt. Add melted brown butter, egg whites, and vanilla extract, if using, and mix just until combined and smooth. Don’t overmix.
Divide batter between the muffin pan cups, filling each cup almost to the top. If you’re using raspberries, just before you bake the financiers, cut raspberries in half and place one half, cut side down, on top of each financier, and press down gently. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Muffins are best the same day they are made but can be kept in an airtight container for 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.