Raspberry White Chocolate Financiers

About a month a go I've decided that I'll start taking of myself, of my body and of my soul. So I signed up at the gym, tiring of looking at myself in the mirror and not liking what I see. Now when I bake I reduce the recipe at least by half so I'm not stuck with a 2 dozens cupcakes to eat on my own... but one a week or so can't hurt too much right?!

Anyway at the gym they made me pass some tests that determine your real physical age as opposed to your biological age. It turns out I'm a 26 year old in the body of a 62 year old (a really out of shape one, I'm sure about it), my BMI is at 40% but, there's always a silver lining however small it might be, apparently my abs are really strong... somewhere under all the belly fat!

So I've been working out and, to put all odds on my side, tomorrow I'm starting a new diet. Surprisingly I really like being in the gym!! Granted I busted my BOTH my ankles after the first week but I'm assuming it's because my body isn't used to all that movement! So my goal is to lose at least 30 lbs by August... 10 lbs a month, I should be able to do that! I'll weigh myself only once a month, on the lasy day and I'll keep you posted!

But for now, I'll share with you this delicious recipe. Delicate, delicious, small cakes with white chocolate and raspberries, these financiers are supre quick to put together but are of major wow factor.



Raspberry White Chocolate Financiers
Adapted from The Golden Book of Chocolate
Yields about 48

1 cup ground almonds
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup butter, melted (I turned it into beurre noisette, as traditional fianciers require)
6 egg whites, lighly beaten
1/2 frozen raspberries
2 oz white chocolate, finely chopped


To make beurre noisette cut the butter in small pieces and melt over low/medium heat. The butter will start to boil, let it go until it becomes of a dark amber color and starts smelling like toasted hazelnuts. Immediately remove from heat and pour in a glass recipient to stop the cooking process, let cool. If you don't want to do a beurre noisette just melt the butter normally but go noisette, you won't regret it!

Preheat the oven to 350F and oil 24 mini oval pans (which i don't have so I just PAMed some muffin tins). Place the almonds, confectioner's sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl.

Pour in the cooled beurre noisette and mix until combined. Add the egg whites and mix until smooth and well incorporated. Spoon the batter in the prepared pans so that they are about half full. Push a few raspebbies on top of each financiers and spinkle with the chopped white chocolate (I mixed the chocolate in the batter right before spooning it in the pans so I can have some in every bite!).

Bake until golden and firm but still moist in the center, about 10-12 minutes (Mine took a little longer I guess because more batter goes into the muffin pans). Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool.

ICE January: Chocolate Champagne cupcakes with a white chocolate strawberry truffle center and strawberry whipped cream

The January Iron Cupcake Earth challenge was wine, any kind of wine and since I had some Champagne left from New Years... Why not?!

These rich and dense chocolate brownie-like cupcakes have a white chocolate truffle heart which hides a little piece of fresh strawberry. The strawberries were also used in the whipped cream frosting. What's more tempting than champagne with chocolate and fresh strawberries?!

Plus, aren't chocolate, champagne and strawberries aphrodisiacs or something? Well, here you have all three in one... kinda like a love making cupcake! Perfect for Valentine's Day or a special dinner! AND there's whipped cream... now really, what can we ask more?? Make sure you don't eat the truffles before putting them in the cupcakes... half of mine were left "truffle-less": they are AMAZING even on their own, maybe even more so!

If you liked my cupcakes, please vote for me!! To cast your vote go to No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner!! Voting starts on January 29th at 8pm and ends on February 4th at noon.


Chocolate Champagne cupcakes (original recipe from Krishna Brown)
yields 12

8 ounces 70% dark chocolate
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
6 tbsp flour
1/2 cup champagne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a double boiler.
Beat the salt, baking powder, vanilla and sugar into the melted chocolate.
Add the eggs into the chocolate mixture, beating them in one at the time. Add the flour to the mixture and mix until blended.
At this point, add the champagne and beat on high speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is shiny.
Pour the mixture into the prepared muffin tin and bake about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with crumbs stuck to it if you want a moister cupcake, or else bake a bit longer.

Let the cupcakes cool completely and then make a whole in their center, going half way down the cupcake. Insert the white chocolate truffle in the hole and cover with the cupcake piece that was removed. It is very important that the cupcakes aren't warm anymore or else the truffles will melt. Set them in the fridge while preparing the frosting.

White Chocolate Strawberry Truffles
yields about 15

4 ounces white chocolate
2 tbsp + 2 tsp heavy cream
1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
fresh strawberries (I used the tips cut off)

In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until melted. Pour the cream over the white chocolate, let sit for a few seconds and then stir until completely melted and smooth. Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm, at least 2 hours.
Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into little balls. Press down the middle with your thumb and nestle a piece of strawberry inside, roll the truffle back into a ball and put back into the fridge for about 1 hour or until ready to use.

Strawberry Whipped Cream
yields about 2 cups

1 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup lightly sweetened strawberry puree

In a large mixing bowl place the whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar and stir to combine. Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. When chilled, beat the mixture until soft peaks form.
Then add the strawberry puree a little at a time, and beat just until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Taste and fold in more sugar or puree, if required.


Our January ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists: DOGBONE ART, LOTS OF SPRINKLES, CAKESPY, and SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY.

Our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, JESSIE STEELE APRONS , the CUPCAKE COURIER, TASTE OF HOME books and UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM will be providing our winner with one of their cute cupcake attitue t's!