Churros Financiers
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These Churros Financiers have a tender and moist cinnamon almond cake all covered with a crisp cinnamon sugar coating. An easy way to step up your classic financier game!
We all love churros, right? I thought so. How about instead of fried churros, we get all that lovely flavor and make them into Churros Financiers?
Churros Financiers are a mashup of two favorite desserts, that taste even better together. These little guys start with my basic Financiers recipe, but I spice them a little with some cinnamon powder. Then, I brush them with sugar syrup and generously toss them in cinnamon sugar.
They have a crisp exterior and soft, tender, and buttery center when biting into them. Plus, you get plenty of cinnamon in every bite since it is in the cake and the coating. They are full of flavors and definitely addicting!
What Is a Churro?
Although churros are a very popular dish, I am sure there are people out there who have never had the pleasure of enjoying these delicious confections.
Churros are a deep-fried pastry made with unsweetened dough and coated in cinnamon sugar. They can be made long and thin or short and thick, always with distinctive grooves from end to end, resembling a cruller donut.
What Is Financier?
Financier is a French cake made with beurre noisette or brown butter, egg whites, sugar, white flour, and nut flour. It comes in different shapes and even flavors. Almond is the most popular, but hazelnut and pistachio are also commonly found.
There are a few theories as to how financiers got their name. One of which is that the traditional rectangular molds make the cakes resemble gold bars. Another theory is that it’s named for finance industry workers who needed a dessert that wouldn’t mess up their suits when picking up an afternoon snack. The cake become popular as the cake could easily be stored in the pocket for long periods without being damaged. Either way, the financier cake name stuck and so too did these delicious cakes.
Components in Churros Financiers
- Financier cake. Made with a classic Financier recipe and spiced with a little bit of cinnamon powder.
- Syrup. Brush the syrup on financiers to make the cinnamon sugar coating stick to them.
- Cinnamon sugar. Cinnamon sugar coating is a must for churros!
Ingredients You Need
- Brown butter. Beurre noisette or brown butter is regular butter that has been melted and cooked just long enough to toast the milk solids until golden in color, the oil slightly darkens in color, and the butter has a nutty aroma. Browning butter transforms the butter’s flavor into something nutty, rich, and complex.
- Egg whites. Make sure you use room-temperature eggs because they blend more evenly in batters.
- Castor sugar. It is used in the financier, syrup, and coating.
- Honey. Honey is optional. It helps keep the Financier moist and makes them taste more flavorful.
- Cake flour. Cake flour is ideal for baked goods with a tender texture due to its low gluten content. You can also use all-purpose flour to substitute cake flour.
- Baking powder. Just a little bit to give it a tiny lift. You can also skip the baking powder.
- Almond flour. It adds texture and richness.
- Cinnamon powder. To add the classic churros flavor we love!
Financier Mold Substitute
Financier is baked in a traditional rectangular mold that resembled a bar of gold. If you plan to buy Financier mold, look for a non-stick pan for easy release. In addition, choose metal material instead of silicone to get crisp and golden brown edges. If you don’t have or plan to buy one, you can substitute it with a muffin pan.
More Financier Recipes
Ingredients
Financier
- 7 tbsp (100 gr) unsalted butter
- 3 (90 gr) egg whites, room temperature
- 7 tbsp (90 gr) castor sugar
- 2 tsp (15 gr) honey, optional
- 6 1/2 tbsp (50 gr) cake flour
- 7 1/2 tbsp (45 gr) almond flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
Syrup
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp hot water
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) castor sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
Financier
- Make brown butter. In a medium light-colored frying pan or skillet, melt the butter over low-medium heat. As the butter melt, it will begin to foam. Stir constantly to prevent the milk solids from sticking to the bottom and burning. The butter will go from yellow to golden brown quickly. Once the milk solids are toasty brown (dark brown, not black), and the butter smells nutty, remove from the heat.
- Strain and transfer the browned butter into a heatproof bowl immediately. This will prevent the residual heat from the pan to continue cooking or burning the butter. Cool brown butter completely before using.
- In a large bowl, add egg whites. Whisk slightly to break down the egg whites. Add castor sugar and honey. Whisk for 3 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Sift in cake flour, almond flour, cinnamon powder, and baking powder. Whisk until well combined.
- Add cooled brown butter. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight. You can skip this step, but chilling is recommended for the best flavor.
- When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F/190°C. Grease the cavities of the financier mold with butter.
- Remove the batter from the fridge. Using a spatula, mix to loosen the batter.
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag and pipe the batter into the molds until 80-90% full. You can also alternatively spoon the batter into the molds.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove financiers from the pan immediately and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Coating
- In a small bowl, stir granulated sugar and hot water until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- Combine castor sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- Brush the cooled financiers with syrup and coat them with cinnamon sugar. They are best eaten on the same day they are made.
