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Blueberry and Lemon Friands

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These cakes use egg whites as their raising agent and the inclusion of ground almonds provides a delicious texture that's chewy and moist.

Slightly adapted from a recipe in Sweet Tooth by Lily Vanilli

Ingredients

Scale
  • 200g (7oz) unsalted butter, melted completely and cooled + a little extra for greasing the tins if you don't have a silicone tray
  • 90g (3 1/4 oz) plain flour, sifted
  • 200g (7oz)icing sugar, sifted + a little extra for dusting
  • A good pinch of salt
  • 180g (6 1/4 oz)ground almonds
  • Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
  • 6 egg whites
  • A generous handful of blueberries (about half a punnet)
  • 20g (3/4 oz) flaked almonds

You will also need -

One or two 12-hole cupcake or muffin trays, well greased. I find that using a silicone tray is best here.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/400ºF (gas mark 6).
  2. Melt the butter (either in a saucepan or in the microwave) and allow it to cool completely. I often pop the melted butter into the fridge for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process.
  3. Whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, icing sugar, salt and ground almonds) and the lemon zest in a large bowl.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to the stiff peak stage and fold them into the dry ingredients.
  5. Next lightly stir the cooled, melted butter into the mixture.
  6. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared cupcake trays and press a few blueberries into each one.
  7. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden and a little firm to the touch.
  8. Allow the friands to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • I used a cupcake tray and this recipe quantity made 16 friands. If you have a muffin tray, you will perhaps produce a smaller number of slightly larger friands, which will take a little longer to cook.
  • These elegant little cakes are also delicious made with other summer berries such as raspberries, blackberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants. Adjust the number of berries that you press into each friand depending on the size of the berry.
  • The friands are delicious served warm from the oven but will also keep well for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
  • They look really pretty dusted with icing sugar just before serving, but be sure to do this at the last minute as the dusting disappears into the cake after a while.

Keywords: afternoon tea, baking, elegant

Find it online: https://marmaladeandme.com/blueberry-and-lemon-friands/