This is a preview of the content in our French Food Decoder app. Get the app to:
- Read offline
- Remove ads
- Access all content
- Use the in-app Map to find sites, and add custom locations (your hotel...)
- Build a list of your own favourites
- Search the contents with full-text search functionality
- ... and more!
financier
small almond cake
Like madeleines, small rectangular financier cakes are a classic afternoon gouter, made with beurre noisette, ground almonds, egg whites, flour and powdered sugar. The recipe was invented in the 17th century by Visitandine nuns, and for a long time the little cakes were known as visitandines.
There are several stories explaining the name change from nuns to money men. Some say it’s because of their tidy size, financiers slipped easily into the pockets of Paris’s stock brokers, allowing them to carry them to work for a quick snack. Others say it’s because they resemble gold bricks.
Text © Dana Facaros
Image by Thesupermat