Friands are buttery, almondy and rich. Traditionally baked in a special oval shape, they have a completely different texture to other more traditional small cakes or muffins and are just a little bit glamorous. I first started making friands when one of my children was diagnosed with coeliac disease because they can also be made very successfully with gluten free flour. I make all sorts of friands but these are my favourites. Blueberries or blackberries can be substituted for the raspberries. They are best eaten warm with coffee or tea and in the company of good friends.
190g unsalted butter
60g plain flour [or use gluten free flour]
11/3 cups (200g) icing sugar, plus extra to dust
120g almond meal
5 egg whites
Grated zest of 1 lemon
100g of frozen raspberries
Preheat oven to 180°C. Melt butter and use a little to grease a 12-hole friand pan or muffin pan. Dust with a little flour, shaking out excess. Sift the flour and sugar into a large bowl, then stir in the almond meal. Place egg whites in a small bowl and lightly froth with a fork. Add to dry ingredients with melted butter and zest, stirring until completely combined. Fill each friand hole one-third full. Put three or four raspberries in each hole, and then fill until the hole is two-thirds full with more mixture. Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven, leave in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
Simple food 
It is a bit of a problem. I use left over egg yolks for ice cream (naughty but nice) or else custard, which my kids love. I think I will have to put my mind to work on something that is slightly more healthy to do with leftover egg yolks. Thanks for planting the seed!
Yum! I love friands, but I never make them because I don’t know what I would do with the 5 leftover egg yolks…