Hazelnut Financiers

Financiers are miniature almond cakes with crisp edges and a soft interior flavoured with nutty brown butter. Great Sunday afternoon cake, simple to make using your everyday cupboard ingredient. 

We used hazelnut instead of almond just because hazelnuts were in my cupboard. The fantastic result every time. 

Ingredients:

140g ground hazelnut or almond skin on is ok.

160gr demerara sugar

50g plain flour

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

A couple of drops of vanilla extract

75gr brown butter

Pinch of salt

For the mould:

20gr butter 

15 gr flour

6 cm wide silicone mould

Preheat the oven @ 180ºC. 

Let s start with the moulds, take the butter and using your fingers rub the insides making sure you covered all edges, then dust it with a little flour and flip over the mould and give a gentle tap to remove excess flour. Leave it the fridge to set.

 To make the brown butter, slowly heat the butter in a small pan, on medium-low heat until it starts to foam, remove from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, in the food mixer or using your hand, whisk the hazelnut, sugar, flour, vanilla extract and salt. Add the egg white one by one and slowly fold in the brown butter until it’s well incorporated. 

Important: Make sure not to overmix, this will ensure a fluffy financier, also best to set the mix in the fridge for a couple of hours before you bake.

Fill the mould to 2/3, depending on your mould you should be able to get 6/7 portions to bake for 15 minutes. They should get a nice golden colour, to check if they are ready, pick then at the centre with the toothpick if the toothpick comes out clean it is ready.

Once cooked, leave them cool before you attempt to remove them from the mould.

Once cooled the will get a nice crunch on the outside and beautifully moist and rich centre, you can dust them with a little icing sugar.

If kept for the next day, why not glaze them with a little sugar dissolved in lemon juice.

Enjoy !