Financiers Aux Noisettes Chez Vaudron Vaudrons Hazelnut Cakes Recipes

HAZELNUT FINANCIERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 24 cups of mini tart pans with butter; dust lightly with flour, tapping out excess. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When it begins to sizzle, reduce heat to medium. Cook, swirling skillet occasionally, until butter is browned and fragrant. Skim foam from top, leaving liquid butter behind; remove from heat and let cool.
• Whisk to combine flour, ground hazelnuts, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add egg whites, and whisk until smooth. Stir in brandy. Pour in cooled butter, leaving any dark brown sediment in skillet; whisk to combine. Let batter stand at room temperature 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
• Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of batter into each prepared cup, filling each about two-thirds full. Place pans on baking sheets and bake, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before unmolding.
• Heat jam in a small saucepan over medium, stirring, until melted. Let cool 5 minutes, then brush some over each cake. Place 1 hazelnut on top. Cookies are best served the same day they are baked.

AUTHENTIC FRENCH FINANCIER RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 F/190 C.
• in a small saucepan, heat butter on low to medium heat, occasionally swirling the pan over the stovetop for about 5 minutes. It will foam at first, but then it will begin to brown, producing dark golden flecks (browned milk solids). Check the color and once you are happy with the level of browning, pour the butter (with milk solids) in a bowl to stop cooking. Let it stand and fully cool down.
• using an electric mixer whisk egg whites for no longer than 20 seconds and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, all-purpose flour, almond, and hazelnut flour. Add beaten egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand whisk. Stir in the brown butter.
• Generously butter cavities of a mini muffin pan. Pour the batter into the mold filling the holes up to two-thirds. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, and let cakes cool before removing them from the mold.

FINANCIERS AUX NOISETTES CHEZ VAUDRON (VAUDRON'S HAZELNUT CAKES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar, ground hazelnuts and flour, then sift or force the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a second bowl. The mixture should be very fine. Stir in the egg whites until thoroughly blended, then stir in the melted butter and mix well.
• Butter 22 tin financier molds, each measuring two by four inches. (Small oval barquette molds or even muffin tins could also be used). Divide the batter between the molds. Place the tins on a thick baking sheet and place in the center of the oven. Bake for seven minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees and bake until golden brown, about another seven minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the financiers to rest in the oven another seven minutes.
• Remove the financiers from the oven and unmold as soon as they have cooled. (Wash the molds immediately after unmolding with cold water but no detergent, so they retain their seasoning.) The financiers may be stored in an airtight container for several days.