It’s finally here. Blackberry season is upon us. There is something comforting about the cooler months rolling in, and while this summer seems to have flown by, I am welcoming autumn with open arms. I noticed some bramble bushes for the first time at the side of my house this year and thought how lucky I was to look forward to a glut of these pearly purple beauties when September hits.
I make plenty of fruity tart and cake recipes using blackberries, things like jammy fruit crumbles and galettes, served warm from the oven with a scoop of ice-cream or a trickle of icy cold cream.
This week I am using almonds, brown butter and juicy blackberries to make a little finger-sized individual cake, perfectly pre-portioned for your goûter, the French term for morning or afternoon tea. Financiers are a classic French bake, made with beurre noisette, which is simply butter melted until it has browned slightly. It gives the cake a wonderful nutty flavour, a step that is sacrilege if skipped.
Historically, it is said that financiers were first made in the 19th century by a Parisian chef whose patisserie shop was close to the Paris stock exchange; the little cakes were baked in rectangular moulds that resembled bars of gold. While they are traditionally baked in this shape, you could also use individual small tart tins or miniature muffin tins to bake yours.
This recipe makes quite a small quantity: only nine finger-sized financiers, but it will make more if you are using a smaller muffin tin. The trick is to fill whatever mould you are using half full, and use the timings given as a guideline. You’ll know it’s baked when the cake is slightly golden on the outside and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
The batter is a cinch, with a handful of ingredients mixed together to form a smooth paste. The only slightly laborious step is keeping an eye on your foaming butter. I add the zest of an orange to my financier batter, it is a lovely citrus accent that works well with the almonds and fruit. The blackberries burst once baked, giving a bright magenta stain to the sponge. You could also add a sprinkle of flaked almonds on top before they go into the oven for a little almondy crunch.
Light and moist, with a slightly crisp outside and fluffy almondy centre, these financiers are beautiful served warm, but will stay perfectly fresh for up to a day once baked.
Recipe: Blackberry financiers
