Friands (Blueberry and Almond)
Friands are little dainty French cakes we find commonly sold in farmers' markets in Australia. Main ingredients are almond meal, egg white, butter and icing sugar. Typically, it will have additional flavouring - chocolate, blueberry, orange, raspberry and poppy seeds being the favourites. I made some today with fresh blueberries and some with almond flakes. I like the nutty buttery taste especially those combined with the sweet sour taste of blueberries. They are usually baked in oval shaped moulds, but as I don't have these friand moulds, I have used a muffin tray instead.
INGREDIENTS (makes 6)
40 gm butter
50 gm icing sugar, sifted
30 gm plain flour, sifted
60 gm ground almonds
2 large egg whites (lightly beaten)
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
50 gm fresh blueberries
20 gm almond flakes
Icing sugar, for dusting
METHOD
1. Heat oven to 200C (fan-forced) and line muffin cups or friand moulds with paper.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan till pale golden and allow it to cool. This will give the friands a nutty flavour.
3. Put the almond meal, sifted icing sugar and flour into a mixing bowl then add the egg whites and mix together.
4. Add cooled, melted butter and lemon rind and mix well.
5. Mix blueberries into half the mixture.
6. Fill each mould with mixture till three-quarters full.
7. Add almond flakes on top of those without blueberries.
8. Bake in a hot oven (200C) for 5 minutes. Lower temperature to 180C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes. The friands are ready when golden and springy to touch.
9. Turn off the oven and leave the cakes in the oven for 5 minutes before removing.