Honey-Hazelnut Financiers

Elegant French almond cakes made with brown butter, hazelnuts and honey. These rich, nutty financiers have a delicate texture and golden-brown crust topped with chopped hazelnuts.

8 servings
43 min

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • cups skin-on hazelnuts
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 whole vanilla bean
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 350°. Butter eight 3x2" mini loaf pans or a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Toast 1 cup hazelnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool (do not remove skins). Pulse hazelnuts, flour, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.

    10 min

  2. 2.

    Place 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until butter foams, then browns (do not let burn), 5-8 minutes. Discard pod and scrape vanilla butter into a medium bowl. Whisk in honey.

    8 min

  3. 3.

    Increase oven heat to 400°. Whisk egg whites in a large bowl just to break up, add brown sugar, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Fold in dry ingredients in 2 additions, then fold in butter mixture just until smooth.

    5 min

  4. 4.

    Coarsely chop remaining 1/4 cup hazelnuts. Scrape batter into pans and top with hazelnuts. Bake financiers until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 15-20 minutes for loaves, 10-15 for muffins. Let cool 5 minutes in pans, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

    20 min

  5. 5.

    DO AHEAD: Financiers can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.