Scroll to the bottom of the post to get ALL the “12 Days” recipes from 2019 – 2024!
Welcome to Day 2 of
The 12 Days of Holiday Treats!
Once again, this year, from December 1st-12th I’ll post a new holiday treat recipe every day – inspiration for your holiday entertaining!
The recipes I’m sharing are small-er batch – each recipe makes 1-dozen or a few more smaller-sized treats that are simple to prepare and that use everyday ingredients and equipment so hopefully you’ll be able to whip up any of these on a whim. Check out the treats from 2019 – 2024 at the bottom of this post too for more inspiration!
I couldn’t NOT have a financier recipe in the 12 Days of Holiday Treats! They are one of my favourite French treats! This version combines two of my favourite (holiday) flavours – chocolate and orange – reminiscent of *that* holiday chocolate!
What is a financier?
It’s a small tea cake made with almond meal and only a small quantity of all-purpose flour. A financier is a little more substantial than a madeleine. Because they only contain a little bit of flour, they are easy to make gluten-free.
Why are they called “financiers”?
Financiers are a popular after-school (or anytime!) snack in France, typically small rectangular-shaped tea cakes made with almond flour. A version of them was originally baked in an oval shape by nuns of the Order of the Visitation and the cakes were called visitandines.
A clever baker working in Paris’s financial district in the 19th century saw how these cakes could be easily eaten on the go, and thought this would appeal to his busy banker clientele. He shaped the cakes like gold bars and named them financiers as a nod to both his clientele and the surrounding district.
They now come in various shapes, including rectangles and ovals. I like to use a mini-muffin pan because they work well to give you a good crunchy exterior/ fluffy interior ratio. Plus, most people have a mini-muffin pan (certainly more than have cake pans shaped like gold bars!).
Are financiers gluten-free?
Typically financiers are made with almond flour and a little all-purpose (plain) flour. This recipe uses almond meal and a couple of tablespoons of all-purpose flour but you can easily substitute a gluten-free all-purpose blend.
Let’s get baking!
Chocolate Orange Financiers
Chocolate financiers with a touch of orange - perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (57g) salted butter
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 large egg whites
- 3 tablespoons (28g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (18g) ground almonds (almond meal or almond flour)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Icing sugar (to serve)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400˚F. (If you are using non-stick muffin tins you may not need to but otherwise) generously butter the mini muffin tins.
- 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.
- Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand. Mix in the flour, ground almonds and cocoa powder and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks with electric beaters (approx. 2 minutes on high).
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg whites 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.
- Divide the batter between the muffin tins (this is easiest done using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop)
- Bake for 12 minutes until the centre is slightly puffed and the edges are golden and slightly crispy.
- Remove from the muffin pans immediately and allow to cool on wire cooling racks.
- Dust with icing sugar.
Notes
Best eaten the day they are made although they can keep for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Check out 2024’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Browned Butter Holiday Rice Krispie Squares
Day 2: Orange Shortbread
Day 3: Festive Macaroons
Day 4: Chocolate Wheatie Cookies
Day 5: Raspberry Coconut Squares
Day 6: Lemon Curd Tartlets
Day 7: Granola Cookies
Day 8: Lemon Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
Day 9: Cranberry Almond Squares
Day 10: Chocolate Caramel Cups
Day 11: Cheese Crackers
Day 12: No-bake Almond Cranberry Slice
Check out 2023’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Holiday Speckles
Day 2: Soft Chocolate Mint Sugar Cookies
Day 3: Funfetti Thumbprint Cookies with Ruby Drop Centres
Day 4: Chocolate Orange Creme Cups
Day 5: Chocolate Filled Shortbread Cups
Day 6: Pistachio Fruit Bread Crackers
Day 7: Pistachio Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Day 8: Iced Mocha Financier Bars (GF)
Day 9: Lemon Meringue Thumbprint Cookies
Day 10: Chocolate Hazelnut Financiers
Day 11: Cranberry, Almond and Pistachio “truffles”
Day 12: Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies (GF)
Check out 2022’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Chocolate Peppermint Creme Cups
Day 2: Chocolate-Dipped Wafer Cookies
Day 3: Gingerbread madeleines
Day 4: Funfetti Cookies
Day 5: Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Day 6: Coffee Financiers
Day 7: No-Bake Strawbery Cheesecake Cups
Day 8: Holiday Joys
Day 9: Holiday Spice Marmalade
Day 10: Soft Molasses Cookies
Day 11: Coconut Roughs
Day 12: Holiday Lights Jam Sandwich Cookies
Check out 2021’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Speculoos financiers
Day 2: Chocolate Dipped Orange Sugar Cookies
Day 3: Madeleines à la Clémentine
Day 4: Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprint Cookies
Day 5: Sunbutter and Jam Chocolate Cups
Day 6: Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookies
Day 7: Linzer Cookies
Day 8: Chocolate-Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies
Day 9: Choc-Mint Thumbprint Cookies
Day 10: Pailles (Puff Pastry and Jam Cookies)
Day 11: Strawberry Santa Hats
Day 12: Mulled Wine Jam
Check out 2020’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats:
Day 1: Rice Krispie Wreaths
Day 2: Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Day 3: Peppermint Bark
Day 4: Orangettes
Day 5: Rocky Road Chocolate Crackle Slice
Day 6: Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Day 7: Orange Pim’s
Day 8: Mendiants
Day 9: Chewy Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookies
Day 10: Apricot, Coconut and Cranberry “truffles”
Day 11: Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Brownies
Day 12: Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Check out 2019’s 12 Days of Holiday Cookies:
Day 1: Easy Three Ingredient Shortbread
Day 2: Jam Drops
Day 3: Chocolate Caramel Slice
Day 4: Melting Moments
Day 5: White Christmas
Day 6: Langues de Chat
Day 7: Chocolate Coconut Slice
Day 8: Cornflake Biscuits
Day 9: Rocky Road
Day 10: Honey Joys
Day 11: Rum Ball Truffles
Day 12: Giant Florentine Cookie (to share)
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