Ingredients - makes 12

140g unsalted butter
100g plain (all-purpose) flour
280g icing (powdered) sugar
100g ground almonds
240g egg whites (8)
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

250g fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries

Extra butter for greasing

Method

Melt the butter in the saucepan on a medium to high heat. Once melted, continue to boil until brown flecks appear at the bottom of the pan (brown butter). Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Sift the flour and icing sugar together into a large mixing bowl, add the ground almonds and vanilla extract.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the egg whites. Using a whisk, stir in the centre while gradually incorporating more and more dry ingredients from the sides until the mixture is completely smooth.

Add the browned butter and stir into the mixture. Place the mixture directly into a piping bag or into a pouring jug. Grease a 12 hole muffin or cupcake tin.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/355°F (fan oven) or 200°C/390°F (conventional oven), pipe or pour a little mixture into the bottom of each financier. Press 2 raspberries or a few blueberries together into the centre of the batter then fill 3/4 of the way up. Top with 2 or 3 more raspberries or blueberries.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the centre domed (gently test dome with finger to check the dome is baked and no longer raw). Remove from the oven, leave to cool for a few minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Once baked, store the financiers in an airtight container at room temperature.