MISE EN PLACE THE CAKES

• In a small saucepan, measure the cold butter and set on the stove.

• In a large bowl, combine maple sugar, finely ground almonds, buckwheat flour and salt.
• Separate the egg whites and save the yolks for another purpose. See how to separate eggs for more info.
• Ready your financier moulds or your (also known as floret cups).
• Ready your dough whisk or large spatula.

BROWN THE BUTTER

• Melt the butter over low heat.

• Once the butter is melted, cook, uncovered watching carefully to prevent burning.
• As the foam rises to the surface, move it away to check the milk solids below.
• Once the milk solids become a rich golden brown, immediately pour your butter through a strainer.

• Combine the browned butter and canola oil and set aside to cool.

MAKE THE CAKE BATTER

• Pour the egg whites onto the dry ingredients and, using a whisk, stir to combine well.

• Add the melted butter and canola oil. Stir until the batter is smooth.
• Pour into a smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

MOULD AND BAKE THE CAKES

• Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
• Lightly spray 1″ x 3″ silicone financier or very small brioche moulds.
• Remove the batter from the refrigerator and stir to recombine. The batter will be flexible even after a long stint in the fridge.
• Spoon the batter into the moulds, filling them 3/4 full.

• Bake the brioche tins at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes or the larger financiers for about 30-35 minutes.

• They are baked when a cake tester comes out clean. Double check by breaking one cake open a bit to see if the interior is baked and crumbly. If they look under, set them back in the oven at 5 minutes intervals.

• Unmould immediately and let cool.

SERVING THE CAKES

• These are best served the same day, as they will be their crunchiest. If they soften overnight, you can re-crisp them by setting them in a 325F oven for 10-15 minutes. Just be careful not to over brown the surface.

Note on Baking: It is difficult to over bake these beauties because they’re so moist from the oil, butter and egg whites. The maple sugar will melt too, creating a juicy center. As they bake, the butter will sizzle and the cakes will rise. It’s important to bake them until the exterior develops a crunchy shell.