Raspberry Friands

What is a FRIAND?

I looked up the origins of a "friand" and they tell me (wikipedia does anyway) that they are just financiers.  French almond tea cakes popular in New Zealand and Australia....created by a French pastry chef of course, usually oval in shape (in France, they are rectangular, like bouillon, hence the name "financier").

Are you confused yet?

I see them all the time on pastry blogs, and have wanted to make them for years....but in what pan? so I bit the bullet and bought a pricey "friand" mold.

By the way, I have never seen them in France.....just saying.

Think barquette shaped muffin moulds. Sorry to confuse you. I am confused too....because at the end of the day,  I think you could just use a plain old muffin tin.

I think any fruit would work too, as long as it's small.

Next time I will use almond flour vs. almond meal, just so they are not speckled......

These are simple, pretty and delicious, and I loved them. Just the right size for an afternoon treat with coffee.

I think I will be making these from now on.    Who needs muffins, when you have friands?   

Friands w/ Raspberries: (tea cakes/financiers) recipe adapted from Eat Little Bird

160 g (1 ½ stick) unsalted butter
100 g (⅔ cup) all purpose flour
250 g (1 ⅔ cup) confectioners sugar
lemon zest (optional)
125 g (1 cup) ground almonds
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
small fresh or frozen raspberries (if using frozen berries, do not thaw)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a muffin tin or friand mold with nonstick spray.

Melt the butter and let it cool slightly (I do this in the microwave).

Sift the flour and powdered sugar into a large bowl and stir in the ground almonds (or almond meal) and lemon zest if using.

Place the egg whites into another large bowl and whisk until they are white and frothy (you are NOT whipping into peaks, just until frothy).

Gently mix the frothy egg whites into the flour mixture.

Add the melted butter and vanilla extract, and stir everything together.

Fill the friand tin until each mould is ⅔ full with batter. Using an ice-cream scoop will help you to divide the batter evenly and to make even-sized friands.

Place 2 to 3 raspberries into each mould.

Bake the friands in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the friands cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with confectioners sugar.

So lovely!    You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

(the old dog would be me).