Rhubarb & Custard Financier


Preparation Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Cuisine: French / British
Category: Cakes
Rhubarb & Custard Financier - Recipe Image

I think roasting rhubarb is the best way to cook it. It concentrates in flavour and really exaggerates its pink colour. This is a cake to only really make when forced rhubarb is in season Jan-March in the UK. You want that beautiful pink colour not some green tree trunk.

TOP TIP

Financiers keep remarkably well in an airtight container at room temperature. I think they are almost more delicious after a few days.

Ingredients

Financier
50g plain flour
50g ground almonds
2.5g baking powder
125g caster sugar
100g butter
100g egg whites

Crème Pâtissière
160g milk
60g double cream
50g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
20g cornflour
20g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla

Roasted Rhubarb
2 rhubarb stems
Caster sugar, to dust

Rhubarb Glaze
100g caster sugar
140g water
1 stick rhubarb

Chopped pistachios, to decorate

Method

Financiers
  1. Mix together the flour, caster sugar, ground almonds and baking powder in a bowl.
  2. Melt the butter in a small pan and heat gently until it foams and turns a golden brown colour (beurre noisette). This takes 2–3 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent the milk solids from catching on the bottom of the pan.
  3. Stir the browned butter into the dry ingredients. Once combined, add the egg whites and mix until smooth.
  4. Pipe into greased moulds (approximately 8 x 4cm).
  5. Bake at 170°C (fan) for 18–20 minutes, or until evenly light golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from the moulds.
Crème Pâtissière
  1. Place the milk, cream and approximately half of the sugar in a saucepan and warm gently over a low heat, stirring occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar together until lighter in colour. Add the cornflour and whisk until smooth.
  3. When the milk is steaming (just before simmering), remove from the heat. Gradually add a little of the hot milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
  4. Once about one third of the milk has been incorporated, pour the egg mixture back into the pan. Return to a medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
  5. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cubed cold butter and vanilla. Keep whisking until the butter has fully melted and emulsified into the custard.
  6. Transfer to a clean bowl and press clingfilm directly onto the surface to prevent a skin forming. Chill until needed. This needs to be cooled fully before piping
Roasted Rhubarb
  1. Wash and trim the rhubarb. Place on a baking tray and dust lightly with caster sugar.
  2. Roast in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan) for 4–8 minutes. The time will vary depending on the thickness and age of the rhubarb. It should be just tender while still holding its shape. Check every 60 seconds after 4 minutes.
Rhubarb Glaze (Optional)
  1. Chop the rhubarb into 1cm pieces and place in a saucepan with the sugar and water.
  2. Heat until the rhubarb has completely broken down, then sieve to remove the fibres.
  3. Return the liquid to the heat and cook to 104°C.

Instructional Video by Tim

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