Pumpkin Seed Financier

An update on pop-up prep and a round-up of recent fun.

Hey everyone!

I thought that for today’s post i’d highlight some of the recent things i’ve been doing during my month away from work and also give an update on the prep that’s been taking place behind the scenes of my upcoming pastry popup!

Having the month off but having a very limited budget has meant that i’ve mostly stayed at home or in my neighborhood the last three weeks. The first half of the month was largely focused on training for the NYC half marathon that I ran last week. The race went really well and the thrill of running over the Brooklyn Bridge and through Time Square was unforgettable. The fog and rain were not ideal but overall the race was a really great opportunity to push towards a goal and challenge myself physically and mentally. I’m so thankful for the time before and after to rest and recuperate.

On a few special occasions I’ve ventured out to attend some cookbook events here in Brooklyn. We’re coming up quick on spring cookbook season and I always enjoy a chance to hear authors speak about their work while on book tour. I got to hear Molly Yeh and Julia Turshen talk about the extensive midwestern “fluff” chapter of Molly’s new book, Sweet Farm. At a newly opened coffee shop and event space not far from me in Bed-Stuy, I listened to Eric Adjepong and Korsha Wilson describe the process of telling the story of Eric’s upbringing in New York and how he showcases the culinary traditions of Ghana from both the historical and contemporary perspectives in his book, Ghana To The World.

And then just a few nights ago I had the fortune of hearing baker Jim Franks in conversation with baker and soon-to-open mill owner Patrick Shaw-Kitch discuss Jim’s book, Existential Bread. This is unlike any “bread book” i’ve owned. It’s more philosophy than practice. Jim’s approach is poetic and rooted in the belief that there is no one *true* way to make bread, because bread simply isn’t just one thing. Coming from my work in large scale bakeries where hundreds of loaves were baked everyday with down to the gram and minute accuracy, it’s a refreshing perspective that removes a lot of the strict protocols we place around the practice.

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If you haven’t heard, this Saturday i’ll be having my first ever pastry pop up! For years, i’ve been inspired by the popup bakers i’ve followed on Instagram from San Francisco to New York and everywhere in between. (

coucou bakehouse

is one of my favorites!) I’ve loved supporting these folks in person when I can and it’s been amazing to watch them grow in scale and to see so many of them turn their popup success into brick and mortar locations or longterm partnerships with cafes and restaurants.

I’ve spent this week scaling up many of my recipes to be baked in larger pan sizes and quantities. It’s been a lot of geometry but I hope it helps me save on oven space and time in the long run. My years in professional bakeries has taught me the importance of doing as many steps ahead of time as possible - candying produce, making jams, chopping inclusions, mise en place as much as possible! The menu is nearly finalized and I hope that my offering provides something for everyone. Striking the balance between exciting and approachable is the goal. There will be cilantro cake, mandarin gochujang cake, and a really nice plum and basil scone that i’m really excited about!

If you’re in Brooklyn on March 29th, I would love to see you! If you can’t make it, please know that your support here has helped encourage this big undertaking for me. I’m truly grateful for the supportive words, reshares of my work, and the folks who have signed up for paid subscriptions here - it all means so so much. 💖

So much prep!

Today’s recipe…

For a while i’ve been working on a financier recipe that uses other nuts beside almonds. Commercial almond flour is very fine and usually made from blanched almonds. Almond meal on the other hand is slightly coarser and can sometimes be made from skin-on nuts. This recipe will work with store-bought almond flour or meal but I developed it to take advantage of owning a food processor to create your own any-nut-or-seed financier!

I was inspired by the black sesame financier I had at e5 bakehouse in London during my trip in November as well. It was nutty and rich but unassuming sitting in the pastry case. The completely black morsel looking almost like a shadow behind the chocolate chip cookies. This pastry was one of my favorites that I had on the trip and it encouraged me to that an alternative financier might be appreciated.

A few notes…

• Be sure to use untoasted nuts/seeds here. I find that when processing toasted nuts/seeds you’re more likely to get nut/seed butter. The roasting process brings out oils from within the nuts/seeds and this oil starts to heat up and clump during processing. Also, the financiers will be much darker and could potentially burn while baking if you’re starting with a roasted nut/seed meal.

• If you’re really worried about creating nut/seed butter in your food processor, starting with cold nuts/seeds and a cold machine can help prevent this! Just spread them out on a sheet tray and refrigerate for a few hours or pop them into the freezer for thirty minutes. The bowl and blade of the food processor can also be placed in the fridge for extra assurance.

• I tested a few different flours here. All-purpose, sweet rice flour, and buckwheat. The AP created a slightly thicker batter that rose just a little higher. The sweet rice flour created a denser, chewier result. And the buckwheat was in the middle but also added a nice nuttiness that complimented the pumpkin seeds. It’s a small amount of flour so feel free to play around and find what you like best. I think cornmeal would be a nice addition!

Pumpkin Seed Financiers

Makes 12 round financiers

85g browned butter, from about 125g unsalted butter, plus extra butter for the pan

175g pumpkin seeds, untoasted and unsalted

85g white sugar

4 large egg whites

85g light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

40g buckwheat flour (see note above for substitutions)

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the 125g of unsalted butter to get 85g browned butter. Pour into a small heatproof bowl to cool slightly but be sure it stays warm (slightly above room temperature) and liquid. Use a microwave in 15 second intervals to melt the butter if it solidifies before it’s needed.

2. With a rack in the upper middle position, preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter the twelve cavities of a standard muffin pan - being sure to get the sides and bottom corners.

3. Combine the pumpkin seeds and white sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to create a fine meal. The finished texture should feel like wet sand. Pulsing helps to prevent the mixture from turning into a paste. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites, brown sugar, kosher salt, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously to break apart the whites while dissolving and aerating the sugar.

5. Whisk in the pumpkin seed and sugar mixture until there are no lumps, being sure to whisk down to the bottom of the bowl thoroughly. Whisk in the buckwheat flour until no streaks of dry flour remain. Stream in the brown butter and whisk slowly until the butter is worked in and is no longer sitting on the surface of the batter.

6. Switch to a rubber spatula and give the batter a thorough mix, using multiple passes to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Use a 3 to 4 tablespoon scoop to fill the muffin tin. Each cavity should be filled about 3/4 of the way full. Once the batter is divided, tap the muffin tin on a flat surface to help level out the batter. If the surfaces of the financiers still look uneven, use the back of a wet spoon to help smooth them out.

7. Bake for 14 to 19 minutes. When finished, the surfaces should appear matte with golden brown edges. The financiers should be firm to the touch and might be pulling away from the edges of the tin. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. A small offset spatula or butter knife may be used to encourage the financiers from their pan. Apply a dusting of powdered sugar if desired. These are great the day they’re baked but even better the following day. Store at room temperature in a sealed container once cooled.

You'll notice my tin isn't well buttered. Don't be like me!