Berry Pistachio Friands for your Valentine

Since I bought that special friand pan, I may as well get my money's worth.

This recipe was an experiment, trying my own thing.....after all, I am a pretty decent baker by now.

Let's first talk about icing.   Pink icing.  

Why on earth would anyone buy food coloring when you can make a beautiful natural icing by using blood oranges, cranberries, beets or fresh/frozen berries?     It's so simple!

For this recipe, I used frozen fresh blackberries, raspberries and cherries mix (because that is what was in the freezer).

  The result was a very berry red color, so pretty and so tasty.   Use any berry you like, frozen or fresh.

A nice go with the pistachios.

These were a little denser, crispier on the outside and so moist and nutty on the inside.

Remember, you can use a muffin tin, but these are not muffins.....they are "friands" (a made up word, sort of a French financier, but most popular in Australia).  

Here is how I made these beauties:

Pistachio Berry Friands:

10 tbsp of butter, melted

1/2 cup ground pistachios (I do this in a mini chopper)

1/2 cup almond flour 

1 2/3 c confectioner's (powdered) sugar

2/3 cup all purpose flour

5 egg whites

zest of a lemon

1 tsp vanilla

Grind up the pistachios in a food processor, but be careful not to overgrind, or they will become nut butter and stick together.   You want a medium grind.  A few pulses.

Mix the ground nuts with the almond flour, confectioner's sugar and all purpose flour.  

In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg whites, only until frothy....you are NOT looking for stiff peaks here.

Pour the egg whites into the sugar flour mixture.     Add in the lemon zest and vanilla.

Lastly, pour the melted butter into the bowl and gently mix everything until incorporated.

Make sure your molds are sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.   

Preheat oven to 350F.

Using an ice cream scoop for evenness, scoop the batter into the friand molds.  
There should be enough for 9 friands/financiers/muffins.

Bake 25 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Let rest in the pan 5 minutes, then unmold.

You don't have to make the pink icing, but why not?  It takes these little treasures over the top!

Just simmer about a cup of berries (frozen is fine), and mash the fruit while simmering.   This should take all of 5 minutes or so.

Strain the berries over a cup and half of powdered sugar and mix until the icing is nice and thick....if it is too thick just add some more of the berry juice (you can also do this with a blood orange, just squeeze the orange directly into the sugar).

Pour or spread on top of the friands and quickly sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top (you have to work quickly, the glaze hardens right away).

These are the best things I have made lately.    I hope you try them.

Happy Valentine's Day.

xoxo