Name: Chocolate Almond Friands
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 170 g unsalted butter; 110 g all-purpose flour; 110 g almond flour, skinless; 200 g powdered sugar; pinch of salt; 180 g egg whites; 74 g dark chocolate, chopped; 30 g toasted almonds, chopped

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Delectable chocolate almond friands are small almond cakes that are simple to make. They're perfect for an afternoon snack served with coffee or tea.

When you make a lot of custards, pastry cream, and lemon curd, there are a lot of egg whites leftover. I don't like to waste them, and instead prefer to plan a recipe that will use them up. These chocolate almond friands are the perfect example. They're tiny tasty teacakes that use only egg whites. They are simple to make and are the perfect afternoon little treat. It's difficult to not snack on them (my two-year-old, always seems to find the hidden bag of these chocolate almond friands in our kitchen).

What is a friand?

A friand is a small almond cake that is leavened with egg whites and moistened with beurre noisette (brown butter). It's a delectable cake that is slightly sweet and nutty. In France, it is known as a financier, and it's traditionally made in an oval French aspic mold. The friand, however, is popular in Australia and New Zealand.

Before you begin

Take out the following baking equipment.

Digital kitchen scale
Small saucepan
1 small bowl
Mini muffin baking pan or friand molds
1 large bowl
1 medium bowl
Whisk
Silicone spatula
Wire cooling rack

Read the recipe through from start to finish.

Understanding ingredients

Almond flour provides the structure to these chocolate almond friands as well as adds a nice flavor and texture. The nuttiness of the flour complements the nuttiness of the brown butter. Select skinless almond flour. Alternatively, you can make your own almond flour by processing whole, slivered, or sliced almonds in a food processor until finely ground (for an added flavor, use toasted almonds). However, careful not to overprocess, or else you will end up with almond butter.

Brown butter is essentially clarified butter. It is butter that is heated to evaporate the water and separate the milk solids. The only difference is that brown butter is cooked until the milk solids caramelize, providing a bolder flavor. The brown butter adds a delicious, rich flavor to these friands.

The egg whites play an essential role in leavening these tea cakes. It is important to whisk this ingredient until white and frothy. Doing this will create the air bubbles necessary to leaven the chocolate almond friands. During the baking process, these tiny bubbles expand and cause the cakes to rise.

How to make chocolate almond friands

Heat the butter over medium heat without stirring. Allow it to cook until it begins to turn a pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing the batter.

Meanwhile, sift together all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until white and frothy to develop the air bubbles necessary to leaven the cakes. Add the egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add the cooled butter and mix. Finally, fold in the chopped chocolate.

Fill each mold 2/3 of the way full of batter and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Place into your preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden. Allow the cakes to cool slightly in their baking molds and then remove and allow to cool to room temperature.

Tips and takeaways

To toast almonds, preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Spread almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet pan and bake for 3-4 minutes, or until the desired color is achieved. Shake the pan during cooking to ensure even browning.
Reserve your egg yolks for s'more crème brûlée, key lime pie, or lemon tarts.
As a variation replace the dark chocolate and almonds with white chocolate and hazelnuts.

More cake recipes

Make sure to tag me @thesweetoccasion on Instagram and leave me a review below if you make these Chocolate Almond Friands. I'd love to see your creations and read your feedback. And if you would like to make this recipe later, be sure to pin this recipe using the button on any of these images. Let's make every occasion a sweet occasion!