Friands Recipe
This strawberry lemon friands recipe yields delicate little almond cakes that are super easy to make and even easier to eat! And if you’re someone who’s gluten sensitive, then you can easily turn these into gluten free friands by using only almond meal in the recipe.
What are friands?
Madeleines, financiers, and friands all seem similar, and truthfully, they are.
In all fairness, a madeleine really does deserve a separate name from financiers and friands because it’s got a spongier consistency. But financiers and friands are pretty much interchangeable.
Are friands and financiers the same?
They’re made with the same kind of batter with the exception that financiers sometimes use browned butter and tend to only contain nuts. The difference in name, however, comes from the fact that financiers are French while friands are technically a product of Australia and New Zealand.
For example, I’ve seen recipes for pistachio friands and giggled to myself knowing that they’re essentially financiers.
A major difference between the two, however, is that friands also contain fruit. Raspberry friands and bluberry friands are some of the most popular ones. Lemon friands are also a staple, which works really well for me as I’m a big fan of lemon anything.
This lemon strawberry friands recipe was the result of both my love for lemon and the fact that I had leftover strawberries sitting in my fridge. Strawberries (fraises) are ripe and available everywhere in the marché this time of year, but I always somehow end up with 6 or 7 strawberries that have gone a little too ripe by the end of the week.
This isn’t unusual for me, and I’m thinking it may not too unusual for the French since they tend to make plenty use of fruits in their desserts (can anyone say apple tarte tatin?)
Can you use almond flour to make friands?
Not only can you use almond flour to make friands (they’re often flavored with almond extract too to produce almond friands), but you should! The friands recipe I’m sharing with you here today is made with part almond meal and part all-purpose flour.
If you wanted to make these friands gluten free, you could easily swap out the all-purpose flour and use almond meal entirely.
Can you make friands in a muffin tray?
You most certainly can! You definitely don’t have to use a special friands tin (if there even is such a thing?). A classic muffin pan or mini muffin pan will work perfectly well.
For my variation, I used individual brioche tins because I thought the fluted edges would give the cakes a beautiful shape. And they did!
Can you make friands with whole eggs?
Friands are traditionally made with egg whites, as the egg whites really give the cakes a lighter and airier texture. You won’t destroy the cakes by using whole eggs, but do note that the texture will vary slightly.
What is the difference between friands and muffins?
Because these delicate cakes are made with a mix of flour and almond meal, they end up being more cake-y than American muffins.
The almond meal really lightens up the batter, in addition to the use of egg whites. The cakes are incredibly moist from the high butter content, making each bite of these cakes absolutely blissful.
Notes to keep in mind:
- Be sure to let your melted butter cool before incorporating it into the rest of your ingredients.
- For extra lemon flavor, feel free to add a quarter teaspoon of lemon extract.
- For extra almond flavor, feel free to add a quarter teaspoon of almond extract.
- Feel free to swap out the all-purpose flour and use only almond meal.
- You can also use almond flour instead of almond meal.
Friands Recipe
Delicate, buttery cakes embedded with strawberry slices and flavored with lemon.
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 3 large egg white
- zest of 1 lemon
- 5 strawberries, stems removed and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Melt the butter and set aside until cool. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, powdered sugar, and almond meal together in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they’ve lost their yellowish tint and look nice and foamy. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour the egg whites in. Add the zest of the lemon and gently stir together to create a very thick batter.
- Add the melted and cooled butter to the batter and stir until the butter is thoroughly mixed in. Divide the batter among 6 well-greased tins (either muffin tins or brioche tins). Place a few strawberry slices on top of each.
- Bake the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean (or with just a couple of crumbs). Let the cakes slightly cool in their tins before popping them out. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve as is, or with a side of ice cream/whipped cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 313
I totally feel for you Beeta! Moving is such a pain and downsizing can often be a challenge. It IS hard to believe how much ‘stuff’ one accumulates! I find, though, living in a smaller home forces me to really think about my buying decisions. It makes me a better consumer (or not to consume) and saver! These are just gorgeous and mouthwatering little Friands! I’ve not had a friand in exactly 1.3 years and am way over due! Thank you for reminding me how delicious these little bites are. They are soooo good. Looking forward to giving these a go! Thank you Beeta!
Thank you so much, Traci! You’re so right – moving into a smaller space definitely makes you much more conscious about what you buy. It also helps you purge things that you really should have purged and updated awhile ago. It’s very free-ing! :p Thanks for your kind words as always, deary <3
I am in the same boat with you. We’ll be moving soon and even thinking about moving is a nightmare. And imagine moving internationally..
Ikea is my favorite spot too. I used to live really close to one and would go there on a daily basis. I know those chicken fingers and I love them too. I also love their vanilla ice cream.
The best way to use strawberries. These friands look yummy. I wish I could have one now.
Cheers!
Oh wow…I can only imagine how difficult moving internationally is! Although sometimes I think it might be easier because you might not feel so strongly about keeping certain items. When I moved from NYC back to CA, I definitely tossed a lot of things because I just felt like it wasn’t worth the hassle of taking them. Oh, and Ikea’s ice cream rocks! <3 Thanks so much for your sweet words, I’d share these friands with you in a heartbeat! XO
How c-u-t-e are these friands?! They look gorgeous and super tasty I bet. I love a good trip to IKEA, in fact we are due for one very soon!
Thanks so much, Jess! Ikea is always fun…except for the part where you get home and have to build whatever you bought. That part definitely is no bueno! 🙁 lol XOXO
Oh my goodness, packing up a kitchen (at least that of someone who cooks a lot) must be so difficult! I would seriously struggle to pack all of the bakeware I have accumulated over the years, and have no idea how I would transport my kenwood! Sounds like you have it under control though, especially if you can fit in making these friands – very impressed 🙂 They look absolutely gorgeous – strawberry and lemon is such a perfect summer combination, and I completely agree- the texture that almond meal and egg whites give friands is the best. <3
The kitchen was the hardest part to pack, even with my nicely organized system. It’s been equally hard to unpack because I have a bit less storage space in my new kitchen so I’m just looking everywhere to fit stuff in. Oh and the mixer was definitely a pain to move…I didn’t have the original box so I put it in a big canvas tote to transport with my own car rather than have the movers take it. Thankfully my new apartment is in an elevator building, but moving it from the car to the actual apartment was NOT fun 🙁 Thanks so much for your sweet compliments; I agree – almond meal and egg whites provide the best texture!! XO
What a wonderful way to use up excess strawberries, and I had no idea about the differences between friands and financiers, thank you for explaining! These are beautiful and inspirational, I love it!
Thank you, Sam!! I used to always get confused so I’m glad I was able to shed a little light on their differences. XOXO
Yeah, I have to admit I never tried financiers and friands. By looking at the recipe, it looks simple enough, yet so light and delicious! Can’t wait to try them, since I always have almond flour laying around to be baked into something yum!
Good luck with your packing and moving! It’s a daunting task, but then once you’re settled in the new place, it’ll be all worth it. 🙂
Thank you, Shinee! It’s definitely been daunting, but I’m waiting for the moment that I’m all settled in and can kick up my feet! Congrats again on your pregnancy…I’m so excited for you!! XO
Mmmm, these sound so delicious Beeta! They look so stunning too. I love their delicate shape, and the strawberries on top add such a beautiful colour. Wishing you so much good luck on your move!!!!! xxx <3
Thank you so much, Harriet! I love the color from the strawberries too..makes them so vibrant! XOXO
These are as pretty as a picture, Beeta! What a wonderful way to use up a few pieces of fruit. I am sure you will be inundated with offers to help you move if you feed your helpers these! Happy baking in your new home! xx
Lol thanks Louise! I’ve been write IOU’s since half of my cookware and bakeware is still in boxes, but I’ve got some eager movers ready to be fed! :p XO