Happy French Friday!
As we move into the summer, l’heure de l’apéro becomes an important part of life for us – whether we are here in Canada or at our “second home” in France. A couple of weeks ago, I shared information about what this consists of (as well as a recipe for Pesto and Parmesan Palmiers – try saying that three times after a couple of glasses of rosé LOL!).
L’heure de l’apéro
The “apéro” as it’s known in French is the moment that signals your (work) day has ended and that you’re ready to relax. (if you’re interested in learning all about this oh-so-French routine, check out this comprehensive article over on France Today). You’ll eat dinner later but for now, you’ll enjoy a cold glass of something and perhaps a nibble of something savoury. For us in the summer, it often means rosé… (see more of how we celebrate l’heure de l’apéro here!).
So even if you can’t get to France this summer you can Frenchify your every day with a little glass of something and a little snack before you prepare dinner. But, what to serve?
What to serve at l’heure de l’apéro?
Typically in France, we’re snacking on chips, salty crackers, radishes, saucisson, some nuts. Not much but just enough to take the edge off the pre-dinner hunger. Today I’m bringing you another easy cocktail snack – a savoury version of the ever-popular (and easy!) financiers.
But wait, aren’t financiers sweet treats?
Yes, financiers are typically thought of a sweet treat but they work well in a savoury iteration too. Here, I’ve used grated Parmesan and a slice of ham to create a light, crunchy, salty (but slightly sweet from the almond flour) bite that’s perfect with your glass of rosé, bubbles or even a beer. Bet you can’t eat just one!
Savoury ham and cheese financiers
Savoury cake? Yes you can! These tiny financiers are perfect for cocktail hour!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30g) salted butter
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup (25g) ground almonds (almond meal)
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (2 for the batter, 1 for topping)
- 1 slice ham, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). If you are using reliably non-stick muffin tins you may not need to but otherwise lightly grease a 12-cavity mini muffin tin.
- Melt the butter (either in a small pot on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave for about 1 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Beat the egg whites in a small bowl until frothy with electric beaters (1 minute on high). - Whisk the flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Add the dry ingredients to the egg white and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until the dry ingredients are just combined.
- Add the cooled, melted butter to the batter and use a rubber spatula to gently mix until the butter is completely incorporated.
- Fold in 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and the chopped ham with a rubber spatula until it’s evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins. You can do this with a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or a small teaspoon. You’ll want to fill each mold so it’s nearly full. You'll get between 10-12 financiers.
- Sprinkle a pinch of extra grated Parmesan on top of each financier.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden and slightly crispy and coming away from the pan. There may be cracks in the tops.
- Remove from the muffin pans immediately and allow to come to room temperature on wire cooling racks.
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Cheers and Happy (French) Friday!
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A taste of France in dark times. Nice post, Mardi
These were delicious!! My kids and I loved them! Next time I will absolutely double the recipe bc these were gone in a second.
Great to know! Thanks for letting me know!