If you are looking to treat yourself to a sophisticated afternoon treat, this lemon tea financier cake is an absolute joy to bake. Inspired by the classic French bakery staple, this recipe takes a rich, almond-flecked financier batter infused with fragrant Earl Grey tea and bakes it elegantly in a tart tin. Topped with glossy, homemade candied lemon slices and a crisp, buttery almond crumble, it looks beautifully artisanal but requires nothing more than a quick mix and bake. It’s a wonderful, sunny ritual to brighten up your weekend teatime or to slice up as an elegant handmade gift for the people you care about.
Lemon Earl Grey Financier Tart
Course: Dessert / Afternoon TeaCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: IntermediateServings
6
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
30
minutesCalories
250
kcalIngredients
- For the Quick Lemon Syrup Topping:
Organic/Domestic Lemon: 20g (Thinly sliced into rounds or half-moons)
Fine granulated sugar: 20g
Water: 1 tablespoon
- For the Financier Batter:
Unsalted butter: 80g (Melted)
Egg whites: 75g (Approx. 2.5 large egg whites)
Fine granulated sugar: 40g
Honey: 15g
Candied lemon peel (finely minced): 50g
Earl Grey tea leaves: 1.5g (Finely ground/loose leaf)
- Group A (Sifted together):
Cake flour: 50g
Almond flour (almond poudre): 50g
Baking powder: 2g
- For the Almond Crumble:
Unsalted butter (cold): 10g (Cut into 1cm cubes)
Almond flour: 10g
Cake flour: 10g
Fine granulated sugar: 10g
Directions
- Prep Work
- Keep your crumble ingredients chilling in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Melt your financier butter and let it cool slightly. Sift all ingredients in Group A together.
- Lightly coat your tart tin with butter, dust it with a little flour (both extra, not in ingredients), shake off the excess, and keep the tin chilled in the fridge.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F).
- The Candied Lemon Slices
- In a small saucepan, combine your thinly sliced lemons, 20g of granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water. Place over medium-low heat and simmer gently. As soon as the lemon skins become translucent and tender, turn off the heat and let them cool in the syrup.
- The Crispy Crumble
- Add all the crumble ingredients (the flours, sugar, and cold cubed butter) into a small bowl. Use your fingertips to quickly rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients, breaking it down into a fine, sandy, pebbled texture. Pop this bowl back into the fridge so the butter stays firm.
- The Tea Financier Batter
- Place the egg whites into a medium bowl and use a wire whisk to break them up until loose. Be careful not to whip air into them, you do not want a frothy meringue. Whisk in the granulated sugar, followed by the honey, until completely combined.
- Fold and Enrich
- Gently stir in your sifted Group A dry ingredients and the Earl Grey tea leaves until the flour just disappears. Fold in the minced candied lemon peel. Finally, pour in the melted butter a little bit at a time, whisking smoothly until you have a glossy, cohesive batter.
- Assemble and Bake
- Pour your fragrant tea batter into the prepared chilled tart tin. Arrange your candied lemon slices beautifully over the top, then scatter the cold almond crumble evenly around the fruit. Bake in your preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are golden-brown and the center is set. Let it cool on a rack.
Notes
- Keeping it Fluffy, Not Spongy: Unlike traditional sponge cakes, financiers get their signature dense, melt-in-your-mouth texture by avoiding air. When mixing the egg whites (Step 4), simply rest the whisk on the bottom of the bowl and stir gently to break the proteins rather than beating them into a foam.
The Secret to a Golden Crumble: To ensure your crumble stays distinct and crisp instead of melting into the cake, make sure the butter pieces are ice-cold when they go into the oven. Rubbing them quickly or using a pastry blender helps keep the butter from warming up from your hands.
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