I just love the delicacy of Friands … small and petite but totally delicious with a gorgeous cup of coffee! I can even do this for brekkie, which is something I probably shouldn’t admit … but it’s true!
I also love anything to do with berries, and as I always have plenty of egg whites in the freezer this is a great recipe to have “on the go” to use up those egg whites.
Friands generally have almond meal but I used sunflower seeds in this recipe to make them nut free, and added in some coconut for the extra fat and moisture I needed.
You can use whatever berries you prefer, but my preference is for raspberries … they look just right in something as dainty as these. If using frozen berries, remove them from the freezer 30 minutes before using and place onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.
If you wish to use a microwave to melt your butter beforehand you can certainly do that, but if you don’t have one or wish to use one, then follow the recipe for melting the butter in the Thermomix. The important point here is to just melt the butter and not overheat it where it may separate and look “oily”. I aim for the butter to be just fluid but still looking gorgeous and creamy. So if using a microwave, melt in small bursts until you achieve that creamy finish.
Friands can be a little sticky to remove from your moulds, so I always grease them well and then use a 2cm wide strip of baking paper that runs across the middle and up each side, so you can pull the overhang to help lift the cooked Friand from the mould without damaging it.
These will keep well for a good three to four days in a sealed container … just dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
If you don’t have any egg whites in the freezer and need to break open eggs to do this recipe, then consider making the Vanilla Bean Dessert Custard with leftover egg yolks (see here) … this would make a delicious accompaniment to the Friands for that little extra special “something”!
You can use whatever berries you prefer, but my preference is for raspberries … they look just right in something as dainty as these. If using frozen berries, remove them from the freezer 30 minutes before using and place onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.
If you wish to use a microwave to melt your butter beforehand you can certainly do that, but if you don’t have one or wish to use one, then follow the recipe for melting the butter in the Thermomix. The important point here is to just melt the butter and not overheat it where it may separate and look “oily”. I aim for the butter to be just fluid but still looking gorgeous and creamy. So if using a microwave, melt in small bursts until you achieve that creamy finish.
Friands can be a little sticky to remove from your moulds, so I always grease them well and then use a 2cm wide strip of baking paper that runs across the middle and up each side, so you can pull the overhang to help lift the cooked Friand from the mould without damaging it.
These will keep well for a good three to four days in a sealed container ... just dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
- 200g fresh or frozen raspberries (allow 4 per Friand)
- 280g golden caster sugar
- 100g sunflower seeds
- 90g spelt flour, or plain flour
- Zest of 2 lemons (I use a zester)
- 200g butter, room temperature, cubed (or melted ahead if you wish)
- 220g egg whites (from 6 to 7 eggs)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or extract if preferred
- 70g desiccated coconut
- Grease 12 Friand moulds and line with a 2cm wide strip of baking paper that runs across the middle and up each side with a small overhang
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan forced, and set rack into middle of the oven.
- Place sugar, sunflower seeds, flour and lemon zest into TM bowl and mill 10 seconds / speed 10, put aside
- If the butter is not pre-melted, place into TM bowl and melt 2 minutes / 37 / speed 2, scrape around bowl then continue without heat for 1 minute / speed 3 (this will ensure that all the butter is melted without overheating it) … put aside into a small jug (tip: to remove all the butter turbo x 1, then scrape around bowl)
- Add egg whites and vanilla to TM bowl and mix 30 seconds / speed 4, scrape down sides of bowl
- Return flour mix along with the coconut to TM bowl and lock lid into position without MC in place
- Set to 30 seconds / kneading and pour butter steadily into the mix through the MC hole
- Scrape around bowl and repeat for a further 10 seconds / kneading to ensure all the butter is incorporated
- Pour mixture into a separate bowl (I use the bowl that I had my flour mix in as I find it easier to scoop the mix from there rather than trying to spoon it out from the TM bowl)
- Fill the Friand moulds ¾ full (depending on the size of your molds you may get more or less than 11)
- Place 4 berries on top of each Friand ensuring they are towards the middle leaving space around the edges (if they are too close to the edge they may stick to the rim during baking making a clean removal a little more difficult)
- Bake 20 minutes, turn trays around and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes or until a golden colour and testing skewer comes out clean (it takes 28 minutes in my oven)
- Leave in tin for 5 minutes, then use a small sharp knife to insert into the edge of each mould, rotating as you go to loosen the Friand before lifting both ends of baking paper to remove them
- Place on a cake rack to cool completely
- Keeps very well for a few days in a sealed container (not in the fridge)
- Dust with icing sugar before serving
Just made these with Xylitol instead of sugar as I’m trying to cut back. They’re amazing, thank you Gina!
Hi Karen … finally back from Sydney in one piece and can get back onto my website … THANK YOU so much for letting me know that your conversion worked so well … it is great for others to know this too before they try … take care Karen, and thanks for being in touch xo
Just made these with Xylitol as I’m trying to cut back sugar.
They’re amazing, thank you Gina!!
Is it possible to make these without sunflower seeds? What could be substituted?
Good morning Lara … yes, you could use almond meal … my kids have nut allergy so I use sunflower seeds or pepitas as a substitute for nut meals … almonds would be perfect xo Gina 🙂