Chocolate and Hazelnut Financiers

Makes 8 muffin-size financiers

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter

1 cup (100 g) hazelnut meal

2 tablespoons (20 g) amaranth flour

2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder

A pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup (70 g) Turbinado sugar

4 large egg whites (beaten with a fork until lightly foamy)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and have 8 muffin molds ready (You can also place paper cases inside muffin molds); set aside.

In a small pot, melt the butter. Cook until the butter has a nice hazelnut color and smells like hazelnuts. Let cool slightly.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the hazelnut meal, amaranth flour, cocoa powder, salt, and sugar. Pulse into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and beat in the egg whites.

Pour the butter inside the egg/flour batter, working quickly.

Stir in the vanilla.

Divide the batter between the molds and bake the financiers for 20 minutes, or until the blade of a sharp knife comes out dry when inserted in the middle. Let cool and dust with confectioner’s sugar, if you like, when serving.

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