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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet, and toast 12 to 15 minutes, until theyre golden brown and smell nutty.
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3
Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a round 10-inch cake pan.
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4
Brush the pan with a little melted butter, and line the bottom with the paper.
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5
Place the rest of the butter in a medium saucepan.
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6
Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter.
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7
To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter.
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8
Add the vanilla pod to the pan, and cook the butter and vanilla over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the butter browns and smells nutty.
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9
Set aside to cool.
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10
Remove the vanilla pod and discard.
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11
Grind the hazelnuts with the confectioners sugar in a food processor until theyre finely ground.
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12
Add the flour and pulse to combine.
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13
Transfer to a large bowl.
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14
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
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15
Add the granulated sugar, and mix on high speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture forms very stiff peaks.
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16
When you turn the whisk upside down, the peaks should hold.
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17
Transfer the whites to a large mixing bowl.
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18
Alternate folding the dry ingredients and the brown butter into the egg whites, a third at a time.
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19
Remember to scrape the bottom of the brown butter pan with a rubber spatula to get all the little brown bits.
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20
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake 1 hour.
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21
Cool on a rack 30 minutes.
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22
Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and invert the cake onto a plate.
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23
Peel off the paper, and turn the cake back over onto a serving platter.
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24
Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks.
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25
Cut six wedges from the cake and place them on six plates.
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26
Spoon the pears and their caramel juices over the cake.
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27
Top with dollops of whipped cream.
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28
Cut the pears in half lengthwise, leaving the stem intact.
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29
Cut each half into 1-inch wedges.
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30
(Dont remove the core.)
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31
Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise down the center, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp onto the butter.
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32
To make sure not to lose any of the seeds, run your vanilla-coated knife through the butter.
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33
Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 2 minutes.
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34
Add the butter, vanilla, and vanilla pod to the pan.
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35
When the butter foams, place the pear wedges in the pan, cut side down.
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36
Season with the salt and cook 2 minutes.
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37
Sprinkle the sugar over the pears, and shake the pan to distribute the sugar and help it caramelize in the butter.
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38
Cook the pears about 6 minutes, basting them often with the butter, until theyre caramelized on the first side.
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39
Carefully turn the pears over and cook another 3 to 4 minutes, continuing to baste, until the second side is golden and the pears are tender but not mushy.
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40
Transfer them to a platter and keep them in a warm place.
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41
Trufflebert Farm in Oregon grows the most amazing hazelnuts (see Sources).
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42
Theyre as big as macademia nuts and have a deep, intensely fresh nutty flavor.
