Sunday Bake | Raspberry and Almond Friands

Ohhhh yes. These were always going to be a hit with me. A Bakewell Tart flavoured muffin? Yes please! These are a Mary Berry creation (obviously! Who else?), though I do have to give myself some credit as the original recipe called for blackberries. The possibility of adding raspberries to the almond sponge was too much to resist though!

I'd never eaten a Friand before making these, and I fear I may have now begun a slight obsession. The combination of icing sugar and egg whites makes for a melt in the mouth sponge and the combination of flavours could be endless! I'm thinking some sort of pistachio Friand next!

The recipe is adapted from Mary Berry Cooks:

Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
225g icing sugar
75g plain flour
150 ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
6 egg whites
150g fresh raspberries
25g flaked almonds

Method:

1. Firstly, grease a non-stick muffin tray and cut little strips of baking paper to make a handle. This makes your life SO much easier when you're trying to remove them from tray once baked. No body wants to lose a muffin to the tray!! Next, pre-heat the oven to 200C/180Fan/Gas 6.

2. Melt the butter in a small pan, and then remove from the heat and leave to cool a little.

3. Sift the icing sugar and flour into a bowl, and then stir in the ground almonds and extract. Or, just pour it all in if you're feeling lazy - and I mean does anyone really sift icing sugar Mary??

4. Whisk the egg whites until they are foamy, but do not hold soft peaks. It should look slightly like a bubble bath! Add the egg whites and melted butter to the dry ingredients and using a metal spoon (or silicone spatula if you don't have one like me!) fold the mixture together until just combined. Don't overmix, you'll only end up with a chewy texture!

5. Divide the mixture between the muffin holes - the mixture should come up to about 3/4 of the way up each hole. Add two or three raspberries to each one, and then sprinkle (liberally!) with flaked almonds. Bake for 15-20 minutes until firm in the centre.

6. Finally dust with icing sugar to serve and ENJOY!

How easy was that?! Best recipe ever!!

Mary states that you can make 20 Friands from this mixture, but I've only ever managed about 14. I think that may be down to me simply over-filling each hole though so perhaps be abit more stingy if you want to make all 20!

Let me know if you attempt these :)

Aimée
Xxxx

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Baking Snapshots.

Hi Guys,

I haven't written a baking post for a while, mainly because I've been too busy to do any baking and also due to a major lack of funds! :( But despite this I still really wanted to write a baking related post! So, I decided to share with you some of my more 'extravagant' bakes! Some successes, some...not so much.

Making Birthday cakes for friends and family has become something I really enjoy doing and is almost a self-challenge to 'top' myself every time. I'll let you decide whether or not I've been successful! :)

This was one of the first themed birthday cakes I made for one of my best friends/Uni housemate Joe. He loves Fixed Gear bikes and cycling, so thinking of the theme was a given! I'm proud of the actual grassy effect and the track, but as this was a first attempt I had pretty much no idea how to make the bike and figurine so as you can see, they're pretty damn rubbish! But for a first attempt? I'm still quite proud! :)

This was a cake that begun its life with me being immensely proud of it! I then had to transport it on a 4 hour train journey, then navigate the London Underground and then finally a short car journey until I arrived home to give it to my sister Katie for her 24th Birthday. (Who incidentally has just begun her own baking blog, so definitely check that out for more baking goodness here! :)! The cake is an exact replica of her car with a matching number plate and everything! :) It was murder to create and transport and suffered alot en-route but I'm still proud. :)

The mountain cake was made for another best friend who I used to live with at Uni. Allie is veryy outdoorsy and is constantly up mountains, so this cake was a homage to her outdoor pursuits! The grey 'stone' block at the top is meant to be a cairn and the brown strips are meant to be the path that the little 'Allie figurine' has trudged up! You can't see it from the picture, but she even has her own little backpack! I was pretty proud of the model :)

These muffins are probably the best themed cakes I've ever made! They were made on one veryyy hungover day, where I genuinely thought I might die! Despite this they were SO much fun to make, albeit extremely time consuming! I made them for my boyfriend Craig for his 21st Birthday, as he is quite the Apple addict! All the 'apps' are in the same order as he had on his phone at the time which made it quite personal :) I have no idea how I'm going to top this for his birthday next year though! Suggestions anyone?! ;) On the subject of the boyf, Craig has just begun his own blog about life, theatre/film reviews and techy app things, so if you want to have a gander you can check it out here. :)

Last but not least, I made these super cute Flower Pot muffins for my Nan's birthday this summer. :) I often peruse the Lakeland website/catalogue/shop (because I'm just that middle-aged!) and one day I saw these flower pot muffin cases and quite literally I couldn't not have them! It wasn't a want it was a need! I just think they look so cute with the flowers! Which were surprisingly easy to make! :) My next project will be to use the cases as a mould to make chocolate flower pots! Good idea or whatt!? ;)

So, I hope you enjoyed these little snapshots of baking fun! Do any of you make fancy Birthday cakes? :)

Aimée
Xxxx

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