Although Wiki claims that friands are originally from France, very few of my French friends have ever heard of them. Instead, they seem to be a uniquely downunder treat, popular in both Australia and New Zealand. They share a similar ingredients list to French financiers, although they’re made in quite a different way.
One distinguishing characteristic of financiers is the use of beurre noisette (browned butter). I thought it might be interesting to incorporate that into my friand recipe.
I had to get Pete to make the butter for me – I always chicken out and pull it off the heat too soon…
Pete’s tip is to cook the butter very gently until it turns brown and starts to foam…
- 6 large free range egg whites
- 150g browned butter, cooled
- 70g plain flour
- 130g almond meal
- 180g icing sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 190C or 175C with fan. Brush a mini loaf pan (mine was a Baker’s Secret petite loaf pan with eight holes) with melted butter and line the base of each hole with a piece of parchment paper. Don’t skip the paper, or the friands will stick (trust me).
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and icing sugar. If you’re feeling lazy, just sift the icing sugar (it’s the only way to get the lumps out). Stir in the almond meal.
3. In a separate mixing bowl and using a hand whisk, beat the egg whites for about a minute until they’re frothy, but not stiff.
4. Quickly but gently fold in the dry ingredients, then add the cooled browned butter (including any sediment). Stir until just combined.
5. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared mini loaf tin. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, rotating the tray once during the baking time. The finished friands will be well risen and golden brown in colour.
7. Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.
The browned butter gave these a subtle nuttiness and an attractive speckled appearance that I found very appealing. They were also fabulous in a berry crumble (recipe to follow)!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Those look delicious!
They look so good! I LOVE browned butter and use it on carrots and green beans and fish and pasta. You do have to be careful of course to get browned butter and not burned butter ;)
Yum, I love browned butter anything and can imagine these were delicious.
Yum!
Yum, a little holiday baking. I can almost smell these and look forward ‘berry much’ to the next instalment.
Yum, burned butter adds a delicious nuttiness to things. Love BB biscuits and pasta with sage & BB sauce. That sieve is exactly like the ‘dangerous weapon’ we brought home on the plane from Chefs Warehouse! :)
I love friands. The recipe I’ve had for 15 years or so uses browned butter so I’ve always made them that way and it makes them taste that much better. I use gluten free flour in them too. I have always had the idea they are French in derivation, so this came as a surprise to me that they might not be. Perhaps it is a local delicacy in a particular area and not a widespread treat, but Australia certainly has taken to them! Thanks Celia.
yup, browned butter raises everything up a notch.
Something new for me, I’ve never heard of friands. I love browned butter though so I’m sure these are delicious.
Welcome to 2016 and what a lovely way to start the year. I know I’m not alone in saying anything with browned butter is better.
They look so lovely! Just the thing for my financier tins
I always thought these were French as well. I’d love the nutty flavour from the browned butter. I really should make friands as I have an enormous bag of ground almonds in my freezer xx
These look delicious,Celia. I, too, love brown butter but rarely use it when I bake. Well, I so rarely bake that brown butter has little chance to make it to the mixing bowl. These friands look like they’ll make perfect platforms for a little berry (?) embellishments, perhaps? Surprise us!
Celia, I have written to my contact in France who assures me friands are French, however they are savoury, whereas their counterpart ‘friandise’ are the sweet versions. He says Boulangeries normally carry them.
There you go… :) My Parisian friends have never heard of them!
I had heard of them but wasn’t really sure what they were – I think they made them once on the Great British Bake Off! These little mouthfuls of gorgeousness look perfect and so light, can just imagine their lovely buttery flavour. Although I have spent many years using olive oil instead of butter in many recipes, deep down I love it and could never give it up!
These look so yummy. I must try making friands myself. What do you do with your egg yolks?
Love this Celia. Thanks for sharing. xx
Happy New Year Celia. I hope you are well. Just wanted to let you know that Ive posted my IMK for January. Emma xx
Emma, I’m no longer hosting – could you please let Maureen at Orgasmic Chef know? Link is at the top of my IMK post. Thanks!
Yum! Browned butter is the best!!! It adds such a subtle complexity to recipes!
Forget fancy cake. I adore subtle, plain cake like this. What other hidden talents does Pete have. Immensely impressed with his browning butter skills.
I love ‘browned butter’ anything xx