Pumpkin Financier with Blueberry Compote

Pumpkin and Blueberries. These two flavors taste so delicious when combined, it’s crazy to me that they aren’t seen together more often. Perhaps it has something to do with sadly seasonal Pumpkin-cravings. It’s no secret that people tend to eat Pumpkin-heavy desserts during the Thanksgiving/Holiday season (helllllooo Pumpkin Pie), and then forget about them for the rest of the year. Poor Pumpkin…so often stuck in Libby’s cans, collecting dust until the next year’s Pumpkin Pie frenzy rolls around.

Well, let’s bring Pumpkin back for a summertime rendezvous. And, what better way to celebrate the Pumpkin rediscovery than with the delicious Blueberry? When plump and juicy Blueberries are cooked, their flavor profile changes immensely. They become deeper and more complex, able to stand up to bolder flavors and spices. In short, they become more compatible with our dear friend, Pumpkin.

So, here we go….I’ll bake up a Pumpkin Financier made with Almond flour and highlighted by browned butter, Orange zest and spices like Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger.



Then, a Blueberry Compote simmered with a Cinnamon stick to top it all off.



When it’s all put together…with some softly whipped cream on top, it’s hard to remember how we ever made it through a summer without Pumpkin desserts…mmm.



Pumpkin Financier
(Pumpkin Financier recipe adapted from Sherry Yard)

5 oz butter
1 ¼ cups almond flour
1 ¼ cups AP flour
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp tightly packed brown sugar
8 egg whites, room temp
1 cup pumpkin puree
½ tsp chopped orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and brush a 10” round cake pan with butter, line with parchment, brush with butter again.
Melt butter in saucepan until it browns (7-10 minutes). Set aside to cool to room temp.
Sift together almond flour, AP flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add spices and brown sugar. Mix dry ingredients for 30 seconds. Add egg whites all at once and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add pumpking puree and orange zest and mix for 30 seconds.
Add melted butter all at once. Mix for 30 seconds on medium speed, then turn mixer to high speed and mix for 3 minutes more.
Poor mixture into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating pan, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Blueberry Compote

1 pint Blueberries
Sugar to taste
Pinch of Salt
1 Cinnamon Stick

Put all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until fruit becomes soft and mixture thickens (~7-10 minutes). Remove Cinnamon stick. Serve compote with Pumpkin Financier and a dollop of softly whipped cream.