I absolutely loved Edd Kimber's Gianduja Blondies, but after making a double batch of them, I found myself with eight extra egg whites. I used them to make Melissa Clark's Brown Butter Coconut Financiers, which require a cup of egg whites.
The recipe is pretty quick. You process unsweetened coconut in a food processor until fine; transfer the coconut to a bowl and add powdered sugar, flour, and salt; fold in egg whites (not beaten) and rum; and incorporate strained browned butter and coconut oil. I spooned the batter into a greased mini-muffin tin and sprinkled sweetened coconut on top. The sweetened coconut I happened to have on hand was macaroon coconut from nuts.com, which is super fine.
I baked the financiers until the tops were golden, and they popped out of my nonstick pans with no problem. When they were freshly baked, the financiers had a firm, substantial, and very chewy exterior that I found irresistible. The texture of the interior was almost like a cross between a regular cake and a mochi; it was slightly chewy. I found the entire thing to be completely delightful. By the second day, the outer crust had softened a bit and lost its distinctive chew. While that was definitely a loss, all of the coconut flavor was still there and even a day-old financier was absolutely worth eating. But if you make these financiers, I would suggest you try to serve them as soon as possible. These little cakes are both adorable and delicious.
Recipe: "Brown Butter Coconut Financiers" by Melissa Clark, from The New York Times.
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