Financiers
By Fishmore Hall

(Makes 35 - 40)

Mixture must be prepared 8 hours before you want to use it.  Ideally the day before.

Ingredients
8.75oz icing sugar
2oz plain flour
4.75oz ground almonds
5 egg whites
6 oz butter
1 vanilla pod

Method

1. Butter and flour 40 financier moulds or 4 ’12 hole’ mini muffin tins (about 1.5 inches in diameter), place in the fridge for the butter to set
2. Melt the butter in a pan, until it starts to brown (do not burn). Strain through a fine sieve, or muslin cloth and allow to cool.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
4. Fold the egg whites in and then stir in the cooled, melted butter. 
5. Add the scraped centre from the vanilla pod. 
6. Chill for a minimum of 8 hours (preferably overnight)
7. Heat the oven to 190C.
8. Divide the mixture evenly between the moulds and bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown.  The financiers should have risen in the centre.
9. Cool before taking out of the tins.
10. Dust with icing sugar and serve.