Financiers framboise
1 1/4 sticks butter
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. ground almonds
1/3 cup ground hazelnuts
1 1/3 cups confectionners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 vanilla bean
5 egg whites
2 tbsp. apricot puree or applesauce
strawberries
Vanilla sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the pans and, if using individual pans, set on a baking sheet.
Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it browns ans smells nutty.
Strain through a small fine sieve and let cool to lukewarm.
Combine the ground almonds and hazelnuts, confectionners' sugar, and flour in a medium bowl.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the almond mixture.
Pour in the egg whites and apricot puree and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
Pour in the lukewarm browned butter and stir gently until the batter is smooth.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.
Quarter the strawberries lengthwise and place a piece in each pan.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and the tip of a knife or a cake testerbinserted into the center comes out clean.
Sprinkle the financiers with vanilla sugar while they are still warm. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool.