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    Home / Recipes / Desserts

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    Modified: Jan 23, 2025 · Published: July 15, 2016 by Sarah Menanix · This post may contain affiliate links

    5 from 2 reviews

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    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    I studied French for five years - from high school through college - but I still can't say "financier" properly - 50% of the time it comes out with a harsh American R trailing behind. Fortunately these nut-free pepita financiers are much prettier and more delicate than the sound of their name rolling off my tongue.

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    Nectarines

    Our high school French teacher let us pick French names for ourselves. The name she'd call us. The name we'd write on our homework. Is this a universal thing that language teachers do?

    Surely I could have chosen a name like Chloé or Emma like the other girls in my class, but that was so not my style. After all, she said any French name. Thumbing through a French/English dictionary, I chose "Sucre" (sugar) and my girl friend: "Bonbon" (candy). And for the next four years, Madame would scold, "Sucre! BonBon!" at our chatty corner nearly every single day.

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    To say I've got a thing for French sweets is an understatement. The French know a thing or two about sugar and butter and these little brown butter teacakes are proof. Aptly named for their traditionally rectangular resemblance to bricks of gold, financiers could easily be used as currency in our house - except without the whole savings thing because there won't be any left to invest.

    Typically made of ground up almonds and flour, financiers are easy to make gluten-free. Here I've swapped the wheat flour with homemade oat flour to keep them soft and added a smidgen of tapioca starch to draw out enough moisture to create a delicate crumb. This pepita financier version takes them one step further by turning the little brown butter bricks nut-free with home ground pepitas (raw shelled pumpkin seeds) in place of almond flour to infuse a gently nutty flavor that lets the brown butter take center stage.

    Brown butter gets flecked with vanilla bean, folded into a nutty gluten-free batter with juicy nectarines nestled on top, and baked until the edges crispy and the center crumbly and tender. A blanket of butter inside the muffin cups help the financiers pop right out, giving that extra extra crispy edge.

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    As untimely as it is, this French recipe comes on the heels of a horrible tragedy in France. My heart is breaking for the people of Nice - their loss and their fear is beyond imaginable.

    Recipe

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {gluten-free & nut-free}

    Pepita Financiers with Nectarines {Gluten-free and Nut-free}

    yields: 10 financiers
    5 from 2 reviews
    PRINT PIN SAVESaved!

    Ingredients

    • 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softed for greasing muffin pan
    • 1 whole vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
    • ½ cup + 3 tablespoons (76 g) ground pepitas, pumpkin seeds*
    • ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons (47 g) gluten-free oat flour
    • 2 tablespoons (14 g) Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 4 large egg whites, (136-140g), beaten with a fork until lightly foamy
    • 2-3 nectarines , sliced into ⅛-inch thick slices
    • ½ tablespoon raw turbinado sugar
    • ½ tablespoon honey, for serving
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    INSTRUCTIONS

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Using a paper towel, generously grease 10 standard muffin cups with 2 tablespoons butter.
    • Melt the remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the vanilla bean seeds and pod and cook, stirring frequently, until it foams, turns clear golden, then browns and smells nutty and fragrant (be careful not to burn it!). Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the rest (if it gets too hot, you can transfer it to another bowl to cool to keep it from cooking more). Discard the vanilla bean pod.
    • Whisk together the ground pepitas, oat flour, tapioca starch, sugar, and salt.
    • Add the lightly foamy egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
    • Slowly pour the cooled brown butter into the batter and whisk just until completely combined.
    • Divide the batter evenly among the 10 muffin cups. Top each with two nectarine slices and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar to keep the fruit from drying out.
    • Bake for 35 minutes until golden on top and a tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from the pan. Optional: brush the top of the fruit with honey to make it gently glisten. Financiers are best eaten the same day, but will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator, losing their crispy edges over time.

    Notes

    *You can grind up pepitas in a high-powered blender or food processor until fine (be careful not to blend too much or it might start turning to butter). Then sift the flour to remove any large chunks.
    *I make my own oat flour by grinding gluten-free oats in the blender until fine.
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    23 Comments

      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Anne -

      July 28, 2016 at 9:29 am

      OMG Sarah! How gorgeous!!!! I've got a huge ton of nectarines at my house right now and these will definitely be making an appearance!

      Reply
    2. Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles -

      July 19, 2016 at 2:03 pm

      These are so very pretty!!

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 25, 2016 at 7:41 pm

        Thank you so much! <3

        Reply
    3. Jennifer Farley -

      July 16, 2016 at 4:20 pm

      I studied under French chefs and I still can't pronounce anything. I stumble over steak frites every. single. time.

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 11:02 pm

        Ha. I'm glad I'm not the only one bumbling!

        Reply
    4. Aysegul -

      July 16, 2016 at 5:19 am

      Oh hi Sucre! Such a suiting name..
      These look fabulous. Such a sweet way to honor those who have lost their lives..
      <3

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 11:01 pm

        Oh hai there;) I think I should bring that nickname back, right? Thank you!!

        Reply
    5. Karen @ The Food Charlatan -

      July 15, 2016 at 4:37 pm

      I will never call you anything but Sucre from this point forward. And I've never taken French ever, so I will mispronounce it every time, on purpose if I have to :) I want like 5 of these financiers! (Don't ever ask me to say that one :)

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:57 pm

        Deal. But only if I can come up with a French name for you too.

        Reply
    6. todd wagner -

      July 15, 2016 at 3:05 pm

      Giiiiiiirl....you so financy (you see what I did there?). These beauties are deserving of real estate in the finest of French Bakeries. xo

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:56 pm

        Can't you taste this gold? (see what I did there?)

        Reply
    7. Becky Winkler (A Calculated Whisk) -

      July 15, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      These are so gorgeous! I love financiers. I really want a financier pan but can't quite justify the purchase. You make the round ones look really good!

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:52 pm

        Thank you!! I'm all about using the same pan for everything! As a food blogger, I have NO SPACE for one-use pans. Highly recommend round cakes;)

        Reply
    8. Carla -

      July 15, 2016 at 12:27 pm

      Sucre! (OF COURSE it's SUCRE.) IT ALL FITS. (Also, let's make palmiers.) xo

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:37 pm

        Um, yes. Let's. Come over. Now.

        Reply
    9. Amanda @ Cookie Named Desire -

      July 15, 2016 at 8:52 am

      I think this is a great way to honor those affected in Nice. I cannot believe it happened. The financiers do sound like an incredible treat regardless...

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:34 pm

        Thank you, Amanda. It's such a hard time for those in France right now, I am sure.

        Reply
    10. Bethany @ Athletic Avocado -

      July 15, 2016 at 8:23 am

      I have never baked with nectarines before, these little financiers look amazing! I also took french in high school for 4 years, but I do not remember one bit lol!

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:31 pm

        Nectarines bake up just perfectly - they get even sweet and more candy-like when baked!

        Reply
    11. gerry @ foodness gracious -

      July 15, 2016 at 7:09 am

      These are crazy perfect!!

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:30 pm

        Thanks, Gerry!

        Reply
    12. Traci | Vanilla And Bean -

      July 15, 2016 at 5:04 am

      Five years? Can I take you to France with me, Sugar? Oh my, I've not had a financier in years.. and I do remember how buttery and nutty they are. Makes me long for one now! Love the swap for pepitas, too; the crumb looks quite inviting! What a great idea. Thank you for sharing this, Sarah!

      Reply
      • Sarah Menanix -

        July 18, 2016 at 10:29 pm

        Ha. If you go to France, you can bring me as your translator. Except I'll just be too busy eating to actually talk. Also don't expect me to remember any French;)

        Reply

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