Fig Cardamom Mini Cakes

Or financiers if you're fancier

Being a self-employed creative, writer, photographer, recipe developer, whatever (like me) can feel pretty isolating, and sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one going through the ebbs and flows of being out there on your own. But the one thing that usually brings me out of a creative or entrepreneurial funk is talking with other people who do what you do. This week, after a few uninspired days, I’m glad I made time to catch up with some old and new foodie friends to do just that. It makes you realize the problems you’re working through aren’t exclusive to you, alerts you to problems you’re glad you’ve never had or made it through, and reveals that no one, however much you admire or envy them, has their shit completely together.

Speaking of old friends, I’m traveling to Cape Cod this weekend to attend a wedding but I wanted to get this recipe out before the end of the month! These are like little financiers, French almond mini cakes, but I don’t think I make them exactly traditionally and I don’t want anyone yelling at me. Of course, I’ll probably get yelled at for not calling them financiers. These have brown butter (traditional) plus cardamom, almond extract and, of course, figs.

Any type of figs work here. You can cut off the stems if you want — I like the way they look. Also, if you bake them in a darker-colored pan, they’ll take about 2-4 minutes less time in the oven. They’re perfect on their own but would be great served with some ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Fig Almond Mini Cakes

Makes 12 mini cakes