Elizabeth Bard’s Financiers aux Abricots et à la Lavande

This recipe for a sweet snack, mini-cakes, comes from Elizabeth Bard’s latest book Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes. The author combines the flavours of Provence apricot and lavender in a traditional French dessert. The recipe is published with the author’s permission.

7 Places to See Lavender in Provence

Mini–Almond Cakes with Apricot and Lavender - Financiers aux Abricots et à la Lavande

Elizabeth Bard - Picnic in Provence: A Memoir with Recipes

Just as the first sun-kissed apricots arrive at the market, lavender fields all over Provence are bursting into bloom. They are a perfect pair. These small cakes are gluten-free, a treat for a special summer breakfast or teatime in the garden.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine French, Provencal

Servings 12 mini cakes

Equipment

• stand mixer (3.5 quart)
• muffin pan non-stick 12-cup large

Ingredients

  

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• 7 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ tsp almond extract or a few drops of real bitter almond essence, if you can find it!
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups almond meal ground almond flour
• 1 good pinch coarse sea salt
• ¼ tsp culinary lavender buds plus a few for garnish
• 6 small apricots halved and pitted
• 1 tsp light brown sugar or raw cane sugar for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• With a stand mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond and vanilla extracts; fold in the ground almonds until thoroughly combined. Add a good pinch of coarse sea salt and the lavender buds to the mix. Stir to combine.
• Line a muffin tin with aluminum-foil cupcake wrappers (paper wrappers will stick). Divide the batter evenly into 12 mini-cakes (a heaping tablespoon of batter for each should do it).
• Place an apricot half, skin side down, in the center of each mini-cake. Place 1 or 2 lavender buds on each apricot (resist the urge to add more). Sprinkle the fruit with a pinch of brown sugar.
• Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. I peel the wrappers off before serving, but you don't have to, especially if you take them on a picnic or otherwise transport them.

Keyword Almond Flour, Apricots, French Desserts, Lavender

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Lavender’s intoxicating fragrance is like a journey into a perfume bottle. So why not take that into the kitchen? The herb is a member of the mint family, and specifically grown culinary lavender is edible and adds a unique flavour to baked goods, desserts, and savoury dishes.

The important thing about using fresh lavender is to make sure that it is organic and has not been sprayed with pesticides or grown with fertilizer that is not consumer-friendly. If you do not have access to fresh lavender, you can use dried, but make sure it is culinary-grade. Also, use only about ¼ the suggested amount, as dried herbs are more potent than fresh.

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).