COTW: Friendly Friands

Today’s Cake of the Week is… Friands! They don’t seem to be very well known in these parts. When offering them to customers I generally have to say the name a couple of times - though this may have more to do with my French pronunciation than anything else. Apparently they’re super-popular in Australia and New Zealand. I first came across them in the slightly less exotic surroundings of Tebay service station in the Lake District and had to exercise near super-human restraint to stop myself buying about twelve of them.

They’re usually made with ground almonds, but I occasionally use pistachios for a change. I also tend to slather mine with cream cheese icing because, well, I am not renowned for my restraint. Give them a go if - like me - you love a dense, moist, nutty sponge. You won’t be disappointed! If you don’t have a traditional, oval-shaped friand baking tray just use a muffin/cupcake one instead, they’ll be just as delicious! Here’s a link to a basic friand recipe. Once you’ve got the hang of that, let your creativity run riot!