Almost French-Mixed Berry Friands

Dear Readers,

Friands are a French cake made of egg whites, almond meal, butter and sugar and usually flavoured with berries. The cake is dense, moist and really delicious. I absolutely adore them, I have a little dream where I am sitting in a little French Cafe eating friands and crepes listening to La Vie en Rose, how touristy I know but it's my little French fantasy. 

I used to work at an architecture firm in Melbourne, we used to have morning tea every Monday morning and I was in charge of getting the goodies for it. It so happened that there was a cute little bakery called Almost French close to the office, which is where I used to get the sweet treats from and they made such good friands that I almost always bought them for morning tea. Good times!

My version is a mixed berry friand with a hint of vanilla. You can replace the almond meal with hazelnut meal or pistachio meal to mix things up and feel free to try different fruit combinations. I am thinking of trying orange, apricot and white chocolate friand next so watch this space. 

I really hope you enjoy these little French beauties,  I am feasting on one right now with a little side of creamy custard (I know its not traditional but who cares!) I was really looking forward to baking today as I got to try out my new novelty softy kitchen timer - cute isn't it :)  

Ok enough said, get baking y'all :-)

Love,
Cookie

Recipe                                                                                               Print Recipe

(Adapted from Exclusively Food)
Yields 6

Ingredients

100g butter
4 large egg whites 
45g plain flour
140g  pure icing sugar
85g almond meal
40 g Mixed berries
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp Icing Sugar, for dusting

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 170 degree Celsius if fan forced. 

Grease a 6 cup non stick friand pan or a muffin pan and keep it aside. 

Now melt the butter and keep it aside to cool. In a medium sized bowl whisk the egg whites for about a minute till they are aired and frothy. No need to whisk to soft peaks.

Sift the flour, icing sugar and almond meal into the egg whites and fold them in.

Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix till combined.
Pour the mixture equally in all the friand or muffin cups and top with frozen or fresh berries of your choice.

Bake for 25 minutes in the pre heated oven or till the friands turn golden brown in colour and spring back when the tops are pressed. A wooden skewer or knife inserted into the centre should come out clean.

Remove the friands and let them cool on a cooling rack. 

Once they have cooled sprinkle some icing sugar on it. You can serve the friands at room temperature or slightly warmed. Enjoy!

What to do with the remaining egg yolks? Why not make a creamy custard along with the friands! Here is the recipe.