Lemon financiers

I realized something a good while ago: I bake when I’m happy, and I bake when I’m sad.

If something bothers me, or if people let me down, I bake – or feel the urge to. If I am glad about something, or someone I like deserves a treat, I bake, too. :)

These financiers were baked on a very happy day: I was going to meet four lovely, gorgeous, fantastic women, who I am very lucky to call my friends. Therefore I baked something – and it was lemony, of course. ;)

Lemon financiers
adapted from Little Cafe Cakes

175g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (100g) ground almonds
6 egg whites, lightly beaten
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ cups (210g) icing sugar, sifted
½ cup (70g) all purpose flour, sifted

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Butter well twelve 1/3-cup (80ml) capacity muffin pans.
Place the butter, ground almonds, egg whites, lemon zest and juice, icing sugar and flour in a large bowl and stir just until combined.
Equally divide the batter among prepared pans – they should be just over ½ full.
Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to stand in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Makes 12