Recipe: Almond Financiers with Seasonal Jam

Along with oysters and steak, we have one more Valentine’s tradition. On our first February 14th together, Silka arrived at Jake's apartment with a beautiful red-topped tin from one of our favorite stores, Kiosk. Inside sat two dozen beautiful financiers with bright red raspberry puree hearts in the middle. They were a such a hit that Silka has made the same recipe every Valentine's since.

This recipe is adapted from the other love of our lives, Martha Stewart. If you're aiming to impress, make them like she does with the home-strained raspberry puree. But if you just want to make a fun and easy bite-sized treat for any time of the year, drop a 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the middle and call it a day.

And that's exactly what we did this year. Aiming to keep a little more seasonal and local, we used home-made jam courtesy of Silka's aunt Diane along with some beautiful honey from our friends at Old Field Farm. We can't wait to make them with all different kinds of jam - and again for a tea party this summer... with our very own raspberries!

Almond Financiers with Seasonal Jam

Adapted from Martha Stewart

+ Vegetable oil, cooking spray or butter
+ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
+ 1/3 cup honey
+ 2 cups sliced blanched almonds (6 1/2 ounces), lightly toasted and finely ground
+ 1/2 cup granulated sugar
+ 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
+ 3/4 cup sifted cake flour

+ 1/2 teaspoon salt
+ 5 large egg whites

+ 1/2 cup of jam - we used blackberry

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
2. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Add honey, and whisk until combined. Remove from heat. 

3. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine almonds, sugars, flour, and salt on low speed. Raise speed to medium-high, and add egg whites, one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, and add warm butter-honey mixture in a slow, steady stream. Raise speed to high, and beat for 45 seconds.

4. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling each halfway. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the middle of each filled cup.

5. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until edges are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly in tins on wire racks. Using a small offset spatula, carefully unmold financiers, and transfer to rack.

Butcher's Demo: How to Shuck Oysters

At the time of our first date, Jake was obsessively reading Mark Kurlansky’s The Big Oyster. So on our second date we went to one of our favorite spots in Brooklyn - Marlow and Son’s - for oysters and martinis. The rest, as they say, is history. Oysters have continued to play a big role in our relationship and we're always looking for an excuse to eat them - not that you need any excuses when they're only $1 a pop from P.E. & D.D at the Green Market, incredibly good for you and good for the environment!

Every Valentine's Day since, we've spent a quiet night at home with a bowl of oysters and a nice steak. And because we've already demonstrated the perfect steak, we thought we'd complete the package with an oyster shucking how-to. Don't be intimidated! It's easy to master and trust us, it's the best way to woo someone. We know.

Happy Valentines Day!

Because this is only our second Butcher’s Demo video, we're still working out the kinks. We'd appreciate any and all constructive comments!