Financier (cake) explained

Image Alt:	Two rectangular financiers
Country:	France
Type:	Cake
Main Ingredient:	Beurre noisette almond flour or ground almonds

A financier (in French pronounced as /fi.nɑ̃.sje/) (formerly known as a visitandine (in French pronounced as /vi.zi.tɑ̃.din/)) is a small French almond cake, flavoured with beurre noisette, usually baked in a small mold.^{[1] [2]} Light and moist with a crisp, eggshell-like exterior,^[3] the traditional financier also contains egg whites, flour, and powdered sugar. The molds are usually small rectangular loaves similar in size to petits fours.^{[4] [5]}

History

The financier originates from the French region of Lorraine. Originally made by the Visitandine order of nuns in the 17th century, the financier was popularized in the 19th century.^[6]

The name financier is said to derive from the traditional rectangular mold, which resembles a bar of gold when the Swiss reinterpreted the financier and baked it in this form.^[7] Some French bakeries still sell this cake under the name of 'visitandine'.^[8]

According to another tradition, the cake became popular in the financial district of Paris surrounding the Paris stock exchange, as the cake could easily be stored in the pocket for long periods without being damaged.^{[9] [10]}

See also

• List of almond dishes

Further reading

• Gisslen, Wayne. 2008. "Professional Baking", John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey.
• Merceron, Julien. 2014. "A la Mere de Famille: Recipes from the Beloved Parisian Confectioner", Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
• The Chefs of Le Cordon Bleu. 2012. "Pâtisserie and Baking Foundations - Classic Recipes", Delmar Cengage Learning, Boston, Massachusetts.
• Valette, Murielle. 2013. "Patisserie: A Step-by-step Guide to Baking French Pastries at Home", Constable & Robinson, London, U.K.
• Wells, Patricia. 1999. "The Food Lover's Guide to Paris", Workman Pub., New York City, New York.

Notes and References

1. Thomas Keller et al., Bouchon (NY: Artisan, 2004), 307, available online, accessed August 28, 2012.
2. Book: Suas, Michel. Advanced Bread and Pastry. 2008. Cengage Learning. 978-1418011697. 474.
3. Book: Fabricant, Florence. The New York Times Dessert Cookbook. Oct 3, 2006. Macmillan. New York. 978-0312340605. 165. registration.
4. Book: Greenspan, Dorie. Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. New York. 978-0547504810. 455.
5. News: Hesser. Amanda. The Pastry Chef's Rich Little Secret. 29 May 2014. The New York Times. November 24, 1999.
6. Book: Cecile Delarue. The Everything Easy French Cookbook: Includes Boeuf Bourguignon, Crepes Suzette, Croque-monsieur Maison, Quiche Lorraine, Mousse Au Chocolat...and Hundreds More!. 9 January 2015. F+W Media, Inc.. 978-1-4405-8396-4. 248–. Adams Media.
7. Book: Mina, Michael. Michael Mina: The Cookbook. 2010. Hachette Digital, Inc. New York. 978-0821257531.
8. Web site: nadasto . 2012-10-12 . L'histoire et la recette des financiers GOURMANDISE SANS FRONTIERES . 2023-03-08 . fr-FR.
9. Book: Leaf, Alexandra. Van Gogh's Table: At the Auberge Ravoux. 2006. Artisan Books. New York. 978-1579653156. 209.
10. Book: Hochbaum, Susan. Pastry Paris: In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert. 2011. New York Review of Books. New York. 978-1892145949. 118.