Masas Finas Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, all-purpose flour and salt. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits. Add vanilla and gently press together to form a pliable dough. Do not overwork.

Chill and shape

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, bring together into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 days). After chilling, roll the dough to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness and cut into 1.5-inch (3.8 cm) rounds or small shapes. Re-roll scraps once.

Blind bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Arrange cut rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake 10–12 minutes or until edges are just golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. These form the base for vanilla cookies and tartlettes.

Prepare browned butter

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter. Continue cooking, swirling frequently, until solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Mix dry ingredients

While butter cools, in a bowl whisk together almond flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt until homogenous.

Combine batter

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the 3 egg whites until foamy (do not whisk to peaks). Fold egg whites into dry mixture, then stir in the browned butter and vanilla until smooth. Batter should be somewhat thick but pourable. If too thick, add 1 tsp water.

Bake the financiers

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spoon batter into greased or paper-lined mini-muffin or financier molds, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers spring back. Let cool in pan 5 minutes then unmold onto a rack. Finish each by brushing with a little melted apricot jam for shine if desired and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds.

Temper/ melt chocolate

Place chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently over a simmering water bath (double boiler) or in short bursts in a microwave, stirring until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp neutral oil to thin and give shine.

Dip cookies

Select cooled shortbread rounds. Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place on parchment. If desired, sprinkle a little toasted almond or raspberry powder onto the chocolate before it sets. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature or refrigerate briefly until firm.

Assemble tartlettes

Using the same shortbread rounds baked earlier, warm the apricot jam gently so it becomes spreadable. Stir in lemon zest. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the center of each cooled shortbread base and spread slightly, leaving a small border. For a glazed finish, brush the jam thinly over the surface.

Dust a few of the plain shortbreads lightly with powdered sugar. Arrange the assortment on a serving platter: chocolate-dipped cookies, almond financiers, and apricot jam tartlettes. Garnish tartlettes with a few toasted almond slices and sprinkle a tiny pinch of freeze-dried raspberry powder on some chocolate-dipped ones for color contrast. Let everything rest 10 minutes so flavors settle before serving.