Elegant bite-sized French sweets featuring almond financiers, chocolate truffles, and lemon madeleines.
# What You'll Need:
→ Almond Financiers
01 - 3 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
02 - 1/3 cup almond flour
03 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
04 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
05 - 2 large egg whites
06 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of salt
→ Chocolate Truffles
08 - 3 1/2 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
09 - 1/4 cup heavy cream
10 - 2/3 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 tbsp cocoa powder
→ Lemon Madeleines
12 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 3 tbsp granulated sugar
15 - Zest of 1/2 lemon
16 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
17 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
18 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
19 - Pinch of salt
→ Garnishes
20 - Powdered sugar for dusting
21 - Candied orange peel (optional)
22 - Crushed pistachios (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease mini muffin molds. Melt butter and let cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Whisk in egg whites and vanilla extract until batter is just combined. Incorporate melted butter until smooth. Fill molds two-thirds full and bake for 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on a rack.
02 - Finely chop dark chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until just simmering, then pour over chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add butter and stir until incorporated. Chill mixture for 1 hour. Scoop chilled ganache and roll into small balls, then coat with cocoa powder.
03 - Preheat oven to 375°F and grease madeleine molds. Whisk together egg, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add lemon juice and melted butter, mixing to combine. Gently fold in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Spoon batter into molds, filling three-quarters full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges turn golden. Cool before unmolding.
04 - Arrange financiers, madeleines, and truffles on an elegant platter. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with candied orange peel or crushed pistachios if desired.
