Friands for Friday...

As I write, it's not yet completely light (at 9.50am!) and the rain is tumbling from the dark and stormy skies...a great morning for grabbing an apron and embarking on some baking!

Today's delivery to The Coffee Tree was a box of Raspberry Almond Friands...

these little cakes are really popular in Australia (which is where I first found them!) and are on just about every cafe menu...but hardly anyone has heard of them here! The beauty of them is that they are as easy to make as a muffin,are easily adapted to a gluten-free version and, most importantly...they taste wonderful!
I brought a special (heavy!) friand pan back with me to make them authentic...

but you can make them just as easily in a regular muffin pan. If you do, then I'd line 12 of the holes instead of 9 as I did, as the pan that I have is very deep.

This recipe is from a fabulous book that Esther (my sister) gave me one year called '1000 Best Ever Recipes from Australian Women's Weekly' which is a great manual full of well-tested recipes that never fail! I adapted it from the recipe for Pear & Almond Friands, as obviously yesterday's cake was pear..

First, heat the oven to 200c. Line tin with paper liners (or grease incredibly well - but I'd really recommend those liners! I had to bring those back too...)

Raspberry Almond Friands (makes 9 deep cakes or approx 12 regular muffins)

6 free-range egg whites
185g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
120g (1 cup) ground almonds (almond meal)
240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
110g (3/4 cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour) - you can use a gluten-free flour if you need to, like rice flour.
A large handful fresh or frozen raspberries (if you're using frozen,  no need to defrost first)
20g (1/4 cup) flaked almonds

Whisk egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy (you can do this with a fork or a balloon whisk. They don't need to be whisked like for a meringue...just well broken up and bubbly!) Add sugar, ground almonds, sifted flour, and butter, then raspberries and stir until combined. The mixture will be fairly wet... more like a batter

spoon into the prepared tin, filling each liner almost to the top (you may find it easier to pour the mixture into a jug and spoon it out of that) Put a few of the flaked almonds onto each.

Bake for about 20 minutes - again, I rotate the pan halfway through for even cooking. They should be well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Leave for a few minutes before removing from the pan and cooling on a wire rack..

Sprinkle with a little icing sugar if you like (I wouldn't if these were for home, but it finishes them off nicely for the shop.)

They are, as always, best served warm...but they do keep fairly well until the next day too, in a sealed tin in a cool place. Don't keep them any longer though, because of the fresh fruit content...

So that was Friday - oh, except that I also made this luscious creature for them....

She's a Chocolate Praline Cake....dark, rich chocolate sponge layered with a hazelnut praline frosting...one of my very favourite flavour combinations. So this cake was made, finished, packed & delivered quickly...before I was tempted! I suppose I could always wander down to the shop when I have a minute and buy a slice to have for tea...or would that be taking things too far?!

Mmmmm! Have a wonderful Friday...thanks for all your comments which are so appreciated...I hope that you can join me tomorrow for Saturday's delivery - and my first Foodie Giveaway!
xx