A Simple Cake to Please the Whole Family
The financier is often seen as a pastry reserved for bakeries for special occasions. The version by chef Cyril Lignac breaks this stereotype: the ingredient list fits on a single shopping line and the preparation requires only about ten minutes. The longest part will be waiting during the bake time! This could transform a delicious recipe into a cooking workshop with the kids, for example. To make it in a family-friendly format such as a loaf cake or in small bites, you only need to adjust the baking time according to the size chosen.
The Secret of a Good Financier? Brown Butter
The success of this recipe rests on a key step: cooking brown butter. You simply melt it until it takes on a golden color and a characteristic toasty aroma. It is this transformation of butter that gives the cake its deep and slightly caramelized flavor, quite different from merely melted butter. The step requires a bit of vigilance nonetheless! A few seconds too long and the butter burns, imparting a bitterness that will spoil the entire batter. It is better to monitor the pan (or the saucepan) continuously and remove the butter from the heat as soon as the first amber highlights appear.
A little extra professional touch: remember to filter the brown butter through a fine sieve to remove all the tiny “particles” that appeared during the cooking.
Cyril Lignac’s Hazelnut Financier Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients :
– 100 g butter + 20 g more for the mold
– 60 g flour + 20 g for the mold
– 90 g hazelnut meal
– 150 g powdered sugar
– 1 pinch fine salt
– 1/2 vanilla bean
– 4 egg whites
Preparation steps :
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Butter and flour a loaf mold, tapping to remove the excess flour.
2. In a skillet, melt the butter over low heat until it takes on a hazelnut color and aroma. Be careful not to burn it! Set aside in a small ramekin.
3. Mix the flour, hazelnut meal, powdered sugar, salt and the vanilla pulp. Add the egg whites one by one, whisking well between each addition.
4. Finally fold in the brown butter and mix until a smooth, homogeneous batter is obtained. Pour into the loaf mold.
5. Bake 40 minutes at 190°C. After baking, unmold the financier onto a rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar to decorate.
The hazelnut financier by Chef Cyril Lignac. Credit: Instagram Cyril Lignac
And what about the remaining egg yolks?
Unlike other cake recipes, this one only requires the whites, leaving the yolks aside. So rather than tossing them, here are a few ideas to use them quickly: a homemade mayonnaise with a touch of mustard and a neutral oil, a delicious crème brûlée, a silky crème anglaise (perfect to accompany your hazelnut financier, by the way) or even the true carbonara recipe!
Mistakes to avoid for a successful financier
A few traps recur with this type of preparation. Starting with hazelnut butter that is still too hot when poured into the cake batter. Indeed, it can “pre-cook” the egg whites and compromise the final texture. It is therefore best to let it cool slightly before incorporating it into the batter.
Another point of vigilance: do not skip preparing the pan. It is very important to grease your pan with butter and flour so the cake does not stick when unmolding. You can use parchment paper instead if you wish. Finally, opening the oven during baking is to be avoided! You risk the batter collapsing before it has finished rising. So we wait calmly and enjoy the hazelnut aromas that waft during baking.
With this hazelnut financier recipe, Cyril Lignac proves once again that a homemade snack does not require a substantial budget or specialized equipment. This economical, family-friendly, and indulgent cake is the perfect idea to give afternoon tea back the place it deserves in the day!
