My friend Kyra Bussanich of Kyra’s Bake Shop shared the recipe for my FAVORITE one of her treats: Hazelnut Gluten-Free Financiers with Dark Chocolate Ganache. Then she joined me in the kitchen to make a how-to video, so we can all learn exactly how to make fancy hazelnut muffin cakes! Isn't she sweet?
Mildly sweet and nutty, these gluten-free Financiers are the perfect segue into fall, and the showstopper dessert on your holiday table. (Which doesn't mean I don't make them in spring. Or summer. Or Tuesdays.)
They are filled with a dollop of dark chocolate ganache, which is easy to make and a handy recipe to have by itself. You can top cupcakes and cake or fill sandwich cookies with ganache anytime. You can also use chocolate-hazelnut spread in place of the ganache. It’s a simple cheat that makes for fabulous Financiers.
Don’t let the fancy name scare you – it’s really as easy as making incredibly delicious mini-muffins with filling. But they are SO. MUCH. BETTER. Kyra makes all kinds of treats – I’ve been known to hide her GF ding dongs from my kid – but if she’s making something just for me, she knows gluten-free Financiers are what I want.
Now, these naturally grain-free treats have a couple of steps you shouldn't miss. Hear me on this: swapping for Nutella is fine, but melting the butter in the microwave is not fine. You need those toasty brown butter bits to maximize flavor.
I implore you to read this recipe all the way through before you start. You bake the cakes for 4 minutes to set them, then take them out and fill them, then put them back in the oven. You need a pastry bag for the filling, whether it's ganache or Nutella. These Tipless Icing Bags work well, and these Wilton ones are great too. Pro Tip: every food stylist/chef/baker I know has a stash of tipless icing bags. We use them for baking, icing cookies, etc. - but also for filling deviled eggs, putting swirls on soups, and anything else that might make our lives easier. Or cleaner.
OK, you're ready to bake! These are so fabulous, I'm sure they're going to become one of your go-to recipes. (Assuming you like hazelnuts & chocolate.) You can use any leftover hazelnut meal in any recipe that calls for almond meal, so you'll have plenty of options for your nut flour. I wouldn't worry about leftover hazelnut meal though - I'm pretty sure you'll want it for another batch of Financiers.
Hazelnut Gluten-Free Financiers with Dark Chocolate Ganache recipe, courtesy Kyra Bussanich, 4X Cupcake Wars winner + my soul sister.
Want more recipes from Kyra? Of course you do! Get her incredible cookbook, Sweet Cravings: 50 Seductive Desserts for a Gluten-Free Lifestyle, on Amazon. You can also try this Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Pistachio Crust, these Chocolate Irish Cream Cereal Bars, and this Red, White & Blueberry Cake Roll from Kyra.
Gluten-Free Financiers With Chocolate Ganache
Equipment
- Mini muffin tin
Ingredients
for the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- ⅔ cup dark chocolate
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
for the Financier batter:
- ¾ cup butter
- 3 Tablespoons of butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups ground hazelnut meal
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup potato starch
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- egg whites from 5 large eggs
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- Place the dark chocolate pieces in a glass or metal bowl. In a small sauce pot, scald the cream until the edges of the pot are just starting to bubble. Do not boil! Pour over the chocolate and let sit for a moment, to melt the chocolate. Stir slowly to incorporate the cream and chocolate together. It should start to thicken up as the chocolate gets melted completely and incorporated into the cream. Set in the fridge to chill and thicken even more. You are aiming for the consistency of peanut butter. Meanwhile, make the financiers.
To make the Financiers:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small pot, heat the ¾ cup of butter over medium-high heat, occasionally swirling the pan until the butter begins to bubble and turn brown. Set aside to cool.
- Using a pastry brush, spread the 3 tablespoons of melted butter into 30 cavities of the mini muffin tins. Set aside.
- Whisk together the hazelnut meal, powdered sugar, potato starch, tapioca starch and salt. Add the egg whites and whisk to combine. While whisking vigorously, pour the browned butter into the batter and blend to a uniform texture. Using a small food scoop, fill each of the prepared muffin cavities ⅔ full. Bake 4 minutes to begin to set the financiers.
- While the little cakes are baking, fill a small pastry bag with chilled chocolate ganache. Pull the cakes from the oven, squeeze a small dollop of ganache into the center of each cake, and return the cakes to the oven. Drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees and finish baking until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove onto cooling racks and let cool at least 10 minutes before you eat them (so the ganache doesn’t burn your mouth!). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Photos: Meg van der Kruik
Seriously. These with coffee? Heaven.
My personal heaven anyway.
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