Matcha Financiers

If you haven't made financiers before, you are about to discover your new favourite bake. These small French butter cakes - named, legend has it, for the gold bar-shaped tins used by Parisian bankers who ate them in their offices without getting crumbs on their suits - are simultaneously the most effortless and the most impressive thing you can pull out of an oven.

One bowl. No electric mixer. No complicated technique. Twenty minutes start to finish. And yet the result is extraordinary: a paper-thin crispy shell that shatters on first bite, giving way to a moist, almost custardy interior that tastes like pure butter and ground almond - and now, with the addition of matcha, like something that bridges France and Japan in the most delicious possible way.

The star here is brown butter. The same technique we use in our Brown Butter Matcha Cookies - browned to golden, nutty perfection - is what gives financiers their extraordinary flavor. Don't skip it.

What Makes a Financier a Financier

Three things separate a financier from any other small cake:

Brown butter (beurre noisette): The butter is cooked until the milk solids turn golden brown and the fat smells intensely nutty - like hazelnuts, like toffee, like something you want to eat with a spoon. This single step gives financiers a flavor depth that no other baking fat can match.

Almond flour: Ground almonds replace most of the wheat flour, giving financiers their characteristic dense, moist interior and slightly chewy texture.

Egg whites: Not whole eggs - just whites. This gives the batter its structure without adding richness (the brown butter handles richness entirely).

Matcha fits into this framework as though it was always meant to be there. Its earthy, slightly bitter quality is the perfect counterpoint to the richness of the brown butter and the sweetness of the almonds.

Ingredients

Makes 12 standard financiers (or 24 mini)

• 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing tins
• 100g ground almonds (almond flour)
• 80g plain flour
• 15g culinary grade matcha (about 3 tsp), sifted
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 4 large egg whites (about 140ml) - no need to whip them
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional additions:

• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (brightens the matcha beautifully)
• A few raspberries or blueberries pressed into the surface before baking
• White chocolate chips - 3-4 per financier, pressed in just before baking

Method

1. Brown the butter Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan (so you can see the color change) over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the milk solids at the bottom turn a deep golden brown and smell intensely nutty - about 5-7 minutes. Watch carefully: the transition from golden to burnt happens in under a minute.

Pour immediately into a bowl to stop the cooking. Allow to cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes). You can speed this up by placing the bowl briefly in the fridge.

2. Mix dry ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together ground almonds, plain flour, sifted matcha, icing sugar, and salt until evenly combined.

3. Add wet ingredients Add egg whites, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using) to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Pour in the cooled brown butter and stir until you have a smooth, glossy, vivid green batter. The batter will be slightly thicker than pancake batter.

4. Rest (optional but recommended) For the best results, cover the batter and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or even overnight. Rested batter produces financiers with a crisper, more defined shell. If you're in a hurry, skip this step - they'll still be excellent.

5. Prepare tins Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Butter your financier moulds or muffin tin generously - including up the sides. If using a standard muffin tin, fill each cup to about ⅔ full. Press berries or white chocolate chips into the surface if using.

6. Bake Bake for 12-15 minutes for standard size, 8-10 minutes for mini, until the edges are set and golden and the tops have puffed slightly and are just beginning to colour. They should feel just set in the centre when pressed gently.

7. Cool and unmould Leave in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out carefully. The shells are delicate when hot - handle gently. Cool on a wire rack. The crispy shell becomes more pronounced as they cool.

Tips

• The brown butter is everything. Under-browned butter produces a flat, one-dimensional flavor. Properly browned butter - deeply golden, intensely nutty - transforms these from good to exceptional.
• Don't overfill the moulds. Financiers don't rise much, but overfilling creates a flat, spreading result rather than a neat, domed cake.
• High oven temperature is correct. The initial blast of heat is what creates the crispy shell.
• Rest the batter if possible. The difference between rested and unrested batter is real - the shell forms better and the interior becomes more custardy.
• Financier moulds vs muffin tin: Traditional financier moulds (rectangular or oval) give the most authentic shape. A standard muffin tin produces round, slightly less elegant versions - equally delicious, and perfectly fine.

Variations

• Matcha & raspberry financiers: Press a fresh raspberry into each financier just before baking - the tartness cuts beautifully through the richness
• Matcha & yuzu: Add 1 tsp yuzu juice and a pinch of yuzu zest to the batter for a citrus note that's distinctly Japanese
• Hazelnut matcha financiers: Replace ground almonds with ground hazelnuts for a deeper, nuttier base that works very well with matcha

Serving and Storage

Financiers are best eaten on the day they're made - within the first few hours if possible. The crispy shell softens overnight, though they remain delicious for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

They are a perfect accompaniment to:

• A whisked bowl of ceremonial matcha - the most natural pairing
• A matcha latte for a slightly more relaxed occasion
• A pot of gyokuro or Japanese sencha

🔗 You Might Also Love

• Brown Butter Matcha Cookies - the same brown butter magic in cookie form
• Matcha Shortbread - another minimalist, butter-forward matcha bake
• Matcha White Chocolate Cake - when you want to go bigger
• Matcha Tiramisu - the ultimate no-bake matcha dessert
• Matcha and Sesame Cookies - a very different but equally elegant bake
• 10 Best Matcha Baking Recipes - the full collection
• The Ultimate Matcha Guide