I love a good old muffin, it’s versatile, easy and delicious. However when friends or family come round I like to serve Friands, as it seems like you have pushed the boat out making these fancy little french cakes.
They are super simple to make like a muffin. Friands are little cakes, typically oval shaped, originally from France. If you do not have a friand tin you can always use a muffin tin. The cakes are made with ground almonds, melted butter icing sugar and egg whites (instead of whole eggs) and a small amount of flour, which makes them super light and the almonds keep them moist.
Like muffins you can easily tweak the flavours to make a whole range of friands. Rather than poppy seeds, you could always add some blueberries or raspberries to the batter once mixed and gentle fold them in. Or swap out the lemon zest for orange zest and add in some cranberries.
A word of warning due to using 6 egg whites the batter can feel gloppy and with the poppy seeds a little reminiscent of frog spawn. Do not be put off by that. Once baked they are fluffy, light and delicious.
You will be a convert and your guest will be amazed at these little beauties. If you want to amp up the lemon flavour, I like to add half a teaspoon of a good lemon extract.
Makes: 1 dozen friands
Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)
Ingredients
6 egg whites
1 large or 2 small lemons
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
185 g butter, melted
120g ground almonds
240g icing sugar
75g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon essence (optional)
Icing sugar to dust
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
1. Grease 12 x ½ cup oval friand tins or a 12-hole muffin tin; stand on a baking tray.
2.Place egg whites in medium bowl and whisk lightly until they have combined together. they should still be runny, transparent with just a little froth on the top.
3.Zest the lemon, sift icing sugar and flour into the egg whites and add all remaining ingredients into the bowl.
4.Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
5.Spoon mixture equally into the fraind or muffin tin .
6.Bake friands about 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire tray, topside up.
7.Serve friands warm, dusted with extra sifted icing sugar.
These store well for a few days in an airtight container.
- 6 egg whites
- 1 large or 2 small lemons
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 185 g butter, melted
- 120g ground almonds
- 240g icing sugar
- 75g plain flour
- ½ teaspoon lemon essence (optional)
- Icing sugar to dust
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- Grease 12 x ½ cup oval friand tins or a 12-hole muffin tin; stand on a baking tray.
- Place egg whites in medium bowl and whisk lightly until they have combined together. they should still be runny, transparent with just a little froth on the top.
- Zest the lemon, sift icing sugar and flour into the egg whites and add all remaining ingredients into the bowl.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Spoon mixture equally into the fraind or muffin tin .
- Bake friands about 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire tray, topside up.
- Serve friands warm, dusted with extra sifted icing sugar.
Adapted from a recipe by FoodtoLove