Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 c Whole natural hazelnuts,
About 5 ounces
1 1/2 c Sugar
1 c All-purpose flour (spoon
Flour into cup and level off
With the back
A knife)
10 tb (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted
Butter
2 tb Dark rum
2 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Large egg whites, about 8
pn Salt
1/4 c Sliced or chopped hazelnuts,
About 1-ounce
Confectioners' sugar for
Finishing
Plum Compote:
2 lb Prune plums
1 c Sugar
1/2 ts Lemon juice
3 tb Unsalted butter
1/4 c Water
1/4 ts Ground cinnamon
Garnish:
Creme Fraiche

One 10-inch springform or layer pan, buttered and the bottom lined
with a disk of parchment or waxed paper, or 12 4-inch individual
pans, buttered. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and
preheat to 350 degrees. Place the hazelnuts and 3/4 cup of the sugar
in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely ground.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in the flour. Melt the butter in a
medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter until
it colors slightly, swirling the pan to color it evenly. Remove from
heat and add the rum and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites with the salt until they
form a very soft peak. Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a very
slow stream, whipping constantly. Continue whipping the egg whites
until they hold a soft peak. Alternately fold the hazelnut and
butter mixtures into the egg whites, 1/3 at a time. Begin with the
hazelnut mixture and end with the butter. Pour the batter into the
prepared pan or pans. Smooth the top and sprinkle with the sliced or
chopped hazelnuts. Bake the financier for about 50 minutes until well
risen and golden, about 30 minutes for the individual cakes. The
center of the cake should feel firm when pressed with the palm of the
hand. Cool the financier briefly on a rack and remove pan and paper.
If some of the hazelnuts on the surface fall off, replace them on the
cake. Dust very lightly with confectioners' sugar. For the compote,
rinse, pit and quarter plums. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a
small pan and heat until sugar begins to melt. Stir occasionally
until sugar turns to a deep amber caramel. Add butter and water
carefully off heat to prevent splattering. Return to heat, bring to a
boil and add plums. Simmer a minute or two, add cinnamon and cool.
To serve, place a financier off center on a plate and spoon plum
compote next to it. Top with Creme Fraiche.

Makes one 10-inch cake, about 12 servings, or 12 individual cakes

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