Strawberry gum friands
Financiers originated in France and are small almond cakes flavoured with beurre noisette (browned butter). They are light and moist on the inside with a crisp outer crust. Originally made by the Visitandine order of nuns in the 17th century, the financier was popularized in the nineteenth century by a pastry chef named Lasne, who had a shop on the rue Saint-Denis near the Bourse (the city’s stock exchange). They were made originally made in the shape of gold bars/ingots (little rectangles) and also so that they could be easily eaten or stored in your pocket.
The Australian and New Zealand they are called Friands and usually are bigger, oval-shaped with fruit placed on top prior to baking.
Usually Friands do not brown the butter like the French do in their recipe for Fianciers.
My favourite combination for Friands is Blueberry and white chocolate, but I have a large box of strawberries at the moment, so I have created this recipe to use up some strawberries. I also love our Australian Native – Strawberry Gum (Eucalyptus olida), and have some incredible syrup from the team at Melbourne Bush Food . So I have added that to my recipe. If you don’t have this, you can simply replace it with strawberry essence or just vanilla essence works really well.
These are my Strawberry Gum Friands. I have created this recipe to use these 2 incredible ingredients – Fresh strawberries and Australian Native – Strawberry Gum (Eucalyptus olida) . If you don’t Strawberry Gum you can simply replace it with strawberry essence or just vanilla essence works really well.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- 3 medium mixing bowls
- 12 friand moulds or mini muffin moulds
- Sifter
- Whisk
- Masher or blender
Ingredients
Friands
- 160 g unsalted butter
- 100 g plain all-purpose flour
- 240 g icing sugar
- 140 g almond meal
- 6 eggwhites
- 2 tbsp strawberry gum syrup or 1 tsp strawberry essence or vanilla
- 160 g fresh strawberries hulled and halved
- 6 extra strawberries cut in half for the tops
To serve
- 1 tbsp strawberry gum syrup or 1 tsp strawberry essence or vanilla
- 150 g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp crushed fresh strawberries reserved from strawberries above
- 20 g pistachios roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius, or 160 degrees fan forced.
- Melt the butter in small saucepan and continue to cook until it turns a golden brown colour and smells wonderfully nutty. Allow the butter to cool slightly.
- Use some of the melted butter to grease 12 friand moulds. If you don't have friand moulds you can use financier moulds or mini muffin moulds.
- In a medium mixing bowl sift the flour and icing sugar together and then stir through the ground almonds.
- In a separate medium bowl whisk the egg whites until they're frothy.
- Gently mix the egg whites into the flour mixture and strawberry gum syrup.
- Gently fold in the butter – you will think there is too much butter (and I agree- there is A LOT – but that is what makes these little cakes so decadent. So don’t be scared keep folding and magically it will all incorporate. You will thank me later ????)
- In a separate bowl, crush, mash or quickly blend the strawberries in a blender to create a rough puree. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the icing and fold the remaining strawberries through the cake mixture.
- Fill each mould about 2/3 full until you use up all the mixture. (This should have 12 friands)
- Place a strawberry halves onto the top of fraind to decorate.
- Place the friands into the oven and back for about 20-25mins until they are nice and golden brown on top and the middle bounces back when pressed with your finger.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the moulds for about 5 mintues before carefully removing them and placing on a wire rack to cool.
- While the friands are cooling, in a small bowl combine the icing sugar, strawberry gum syrup and reserved purred strawberries and mix well to combine.
- Drizzle the icing over the friands, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and serve immediately.
Notes
Friands are best eaten while still warm, or on the day they are made. But they will keep for a few days in an airtight container – but heat them up slightly before serving.
You can also freeze them when cold by wrapping them in plastic wrap or putting them in an airtight container. They will keep up to 4 weeks in the freezer. Allow to thaw in the fridge overheat, and heat them up before serving. Cooked this recipe? Send me a photo of your finished dish to be featured on our Instagram.
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Disclaimer - Nutritional information is provided as a guide only
Nutrition
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