Mini Lemon, Almond & Coconut Friands

I am a self-diagnosed hopeless romantic. And by hopeless, I mean hopeless. If someone even mentions the word wedding, my ears perk up. Not to mention, I have had a scrapbook for my own wedding since I was 12. And don’t even get me started on romance films, whether they be tragic or comedic – front row seat please! So, it was no surprise that I hardly slept a wink the night before my family friend’s Bridal Shower. Yep, that’s right, it wasn’t even my own Bridal Shower (God forbid I’m still far too young!) and I was too excited to get my beauty rest. As soon as the clock ticked 5, I waltzed into the kitchen, pumped myself up with an early morning cooking show, a bowl of muesli and a cup of tea, before I got my baking groove on and made these adorably pretty little Friands.

Now, this was no ordinary Bridal Shower. Firstly, the garden setting was an oasis, with handmade dangling pots of flowers and a garden eerily similar to paradise. But the food - the food was an incredible stand out. There was homemade mini spanakopites, tahini pides, rolled sushi, zucchini fritters, prawn cocktails, salmon bagels … um and did I mention the baguettes with various cured and smoked meats and gourmet cheeses … scrumpdidillyumptious!  And that was only the savoury! If the garden was paradise then the dessert table was nirvana. There was a small delicacy from every part of the globe, each sublime in its own right, but I must admit my mini friands definitely held their ground and were a hit. If I recall correctly, one lady got a plate filled up with friands and told the lady adjacent to her, who was staring pointedly at her plate ‘What? These were my favourite…’

Truly, it was no surprise that everything (including every morsel of food) and everyone was so beautiful, given that it was hosted by three of the most stunning women I know. I seriously worry for all future Bridal Showers as the risk of paling in comparison is just too high. In fact, I could probably dedicate this whole post to the Bridal Shower itself, but I couldn’t bear to keep these little beauties from you any longer.

I doubled the dose of this recipe and made 70 mini friands. But if you don’t need to make that many or would like to make larger ones keep the recipe as is (makes 8 – 10 larger friands). These are the perfect little treat for a feminine function, that’s not to say that men won’t adore them, as my dad ate 5 before I could slap his hands away. I guess it is just too hard to resist the delicate combination of lemon, almond and coconut and the soft texture of these beautiful creatures. So, it’s time to put that apron on and get baking ;)

For the Friands:

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

¼ teaspoon coconut essence/extract

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

150 grams Almond Meal

50 grams desiccated coconut

1 cup icing sugar

⅓ cup plain flour

5 egg whites, lightly whisked (ensure they are at room temp. before using)

150 unsalted butter, melted

For the Icing:

½ cup icing sugar

Juice and rind of ½ a lemon

50 grams shaved coconut

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180^°C and lightly grease a friand baking tray – or cupcake tray.

In a medium bowl of an electric mixer, sift the flour and icing sugar. Stir to combine. Add the lemon rind and juice, almond meal and the coconut and vanilla essence and gently mix to combine. Add the egg whites and mix on a low speed until well combined and smooth (note this can also be done by hand using a metal spoon or rubber spatula). Slowly poor the melted butter into the mixture and mix until combined and smooth. 

Fill the friand mould ¾ full with the mixture and bake for around 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly in the tray before transferring to a wire rack. 

In the meantime, to make the icing place the icing sugar in a small mixing bowl and gradually add the lemon juice, until you achieve your desired consistency. It should be smooth, slightly thick and spreadable but definitely not runny.

In a separate bowl, mix together the shaved coconut and lemon rind.

Gently dip the friands into the icing and sprinkle with the coconut and lemon rind mix. These friands will keep fresh for 4 days in an airtight container, but it’s unlikely they’ll last in your house that long!