Raspberry Friands

A relative of French financiers, Australian friands are miniature cakes. Like financiers, they feature nutty almond flour and get their light, chewy texture from egg whites. What sets friands apart is the addition of fresh fruit, and instead of a bar shape, they’re baked in small ovals or rounds. We opted for an easy-to-find mini muffin pan. Browned butter elevates the flavor, adding richness and complexity that complement the nuttiness of the almond flour. We love the bright, floral combination of raspberries and orange zest, but blueberries and lemon zest are a fantastic combination, too. (Simply substitute lemon zest for the orange zest and drop 2 or 3 blueberries in the batter in each cup before baking.) These cakes are best the day of baking, when the crispness of the exteriors contrasts with the chewiness of the crumb, but extras can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple days.