Coconut Financiers
from “Dining” section of the New-York Time, summer 2014

Coconut Financiers!!! Perfect timing and perfect variation on the traditional almond-based recipe. The coconut flakes gave it a new welcome twist.

16 tablespoons/226 grams butter (2 sticks), more for greasing muffin tins
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters coconut oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons/80 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
2 2/3 cups/300 grams confectioners’ sugar
3/4 cup/100 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon/1 1/2 grams fine sea salt
1 cup egg whites (about 6 to 8 large egg whites)
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters dark rum
Sweetened shredded coconut, for topping

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 30 mini muffin tins.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the milk solids fall to bottom of pan and become a rich brown, about 5 minutes. Strain brown butter through a mesh sieve into bowl. Stir in coconut oil and reserve.

In a food processor, process unsweetened coconut until very fine.

Transfer to a bowl. Sift in sugar, flour and salt.

Using a spatula, fold in egg whites (no need to beat them first) and rum until batter is moistened.

Slowly mix in brown butter mixture until well combined.

Spoon batter into tins and sprinkle tops with shredded sweetened coconut, separating any clumps with your fingers.

Bake, rotating pans several times, until edges are dark brown and tops are golden, 20 to 24 minutes. Cool on rack for 5 minutes and pop out financiers onto rack.

Yield: 30 small cakes (such as mini muffin tin)