Flakey Almond Friands

You know the exact moment when something good comes into your life and changes it completely? That happened with friands. You know you're a true foodie when you become rapturous over a new cake-find, but these little gems are so almondy, dense and unusual that I am head over apron.

A couple of weeks ago I popped for afternoon tea and along with the usual scones, sandwiches (give me smoked salmon, only smoked salmon!) weirdly coloured mouse-cake et al came some jaunty little almondy treats in the shape of friands. Well, I was hooked, so I figured I'd made my own to send to this month's Foodie Penpal who is Lynn in Glasgow. The recipe I used was from Lily Vanilli's Sweet Tooth, a glorious pistachio ice-cream-coloured tome with her usual kooky cakes in. Fab.

Ingredients: 
90g plain flour, sifted
200g icing sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
180g ground almonds
6 egg whites
200g unsalted butter, melted & cooled
20g flaked almonds

Method: 
1. Grease a 12-hole cupcake tray & preheat over to 180C
2. Whisk together the flour & icing sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the salt and ground almonds
3. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the dry ingredients
4. Lightly stir in the melted butter until everything comes together like a batter
5. Spoon the mixture into your cupcake tray then scatter the flakey almonds over the top of each friand
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cocktail stick comes out clean
7. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring the friands to a wire cooling rack

Pop them into an airtight container and send to your foodie penpal, or scoff the lot yourself!