Blackberry friands are little almond cakes made with brown butter and packed with juicy blackberries and star anise flavor. Baked to perfection, they make the best snack option for your afternoon teatime.
After making classic French financiers, it is time to give a try their Australian or New Zealand cousins - friands.
Small blackberry friands are so cute and tasty that you do not feel guilty about these pretty cakes.
Serve them with a cup of your morning coffee or afternoon tea. Bring them to parties and picnics, or put them in a lunch box.
What is a friand?
Friand is a small almond cake popular mainly in Australia and New Zealand. A friand usually has additional flavorings, such as spices, nuts, and chocolate.
Friands are baked in authentic oval aspic molds or a modern friand pan. If unavailable, you can bake friand cakes in a silicone friand mold or a muffin pan.
Blackberry friand recipe
- This easy friand recipe is perfect for a novice and professional baker.
- Experimenting with different shapes of molds opens possibilities to create cakelets for specially-themed parties.
- Friands are a great lunchbox idea and make a perfect edible gift.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Find the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.
- Butter: The recipe calls for unsalted butter.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, the same as plain flour.
- Icing sugar: Make it at home using a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar).
- Almond meal: Use coarse almond meal or ground almonds. If unavailable, replace it with finely ground almond flour.
- Star anise is optional, but it brings a beautiful flavor you don't want to miss. Use ground star anise or make it yourself by crushing three whole star anises in a spice grinder and passing it through a mini-sieve two to three times.
- Egg whites: Separate egg whites from the egg yolks using an egg separator while the eggs are cold. Then, bring egg whites to room temperature.
For leftover frozen egg whites, be sure they are completely thawed and at room temperature before beginning the recipe.
Use leftover egg yolks to make creme Anglaise, Italian pastry cream, or Torta Mimosa.
- Salt enhances the flavor of friands.
- Blackberries are the stars of friands. Choose fresh blackberries or substitute with fresh raspberries or strawberry slices. Frozen berries can also be used, but keep them unthawed to prevent color "bleeding" into the batter.
How to make blackberry friands
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Prepare a silicone friand mold (no need to grease it). If you use a nonstick friand pan, butter and flour its cavities, and refrigerate the tin until ready to use.
Pro tip: If using a silicone mold, read how to bake with silicone molds.
Step 2. To make the brown butter, cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a small saucepan. Bring the pan over low to medium heat and melt the butter until golden brown color.
Watch out for solid browned milk solids on the sides and bottom of the pan and a hazelnut smell.
Pro tip: Consult the brown butter recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 3. Pour the butter into another bowl to stop cooking, keeping the browned solids. Let the brown butter cool to room temperature.
Step 4. To make the friand batter, sift all-purpose flour, icing (powdered) sugar, almond meal, ground star anise, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Step 5. In a clean, separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer or a hand whisk for 15-20 seconds (photo 1).
Step 6. Pour egg whites into the flour mixture and stir until combined. Add cooled butter and mix gently until just combined (photo 2).
PHOTO 1
PHOTO 2
Step 7. Take the prepared mold out of the fridge and fill the cavities up to two-thirds. Arrange 1-2 whole blackberries on top (photo 3).
Step 8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the edges become golden brown. Test with a toothpick: inserted in the center of the cake, it should come out clean.
Step 9. Take the cakes out of the oven and let them cool in the mold for 3-5 minutes. To help loosen them, use a butter knife to run carefully around the sides of each friand.
Step 10. Turn the pan onto a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely (photo 4).
PHOTO 3
PHOTO 4
To serve, dust friands with icing sugar.
Expert Tips
- Avoid overwhipping egg whites: they shouldn't be mounted.
- If you use a metal friand pan, bake your friands at 355°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes.
- This recipe is created to make 8 friands. If you have a friand mold with 12 cavities, multiply the recipe ingredients by 1.5.
- The friand batter fills about ten cups of a regular muffin tray. Bake at 355°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes (use a toothpick test).
Storing and freezing
Friands are best eaten on the day of baking. Store blackberry friands in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.
Can you freeze friands? You can freeze friands for up to 3 months. Wrap them up one by one in double plastic film, then aluminum foil and freeze.
Bring friands to the refrigerator overnight or the kitchen counter for a few hours to thaw. Reheat them in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes and microwave on high (100%) for about 20-30 seconds.
Recipe FAQ
You can replace almond meal with almond flour or another nut flour, such as hazelnut or pistachio flour.
To prevent friands from sticking to the pan, use the softened butter to grease a friand tin, then dust with flour and tap the excess flour.
Looking for French teacakes? Try these next!
- Raspberry financiers
- Chocolate financiers
- Raspberry friands
- French madeleines
- Lemon poppy seed madeleines
- Or browse all the small cake recipes
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Recipe card
Blackberry Friands Recipe
Blackberry friands are little almond cakes made with brown butter and packed with juicy blackberries and star anise flavor. Baked to perfection, they make the best snack option for your afternoon teatime.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 friands 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients
- 6.4 oz (180 g) unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup + 7 teaspoon (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups + 5 teaspoon (200 g) powdered (icing) sugar
- 1 ¼ cups (120 g) almond meal (ground almonds)
- 1 ½ tsp ground star anise (optional)
- ½ cup + 1 ½ tablespoon (150 g egg) whites (see note #1)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 8-16 fresh blackberries
* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Prepare a silicone friand mold (no need to grease it). If you use a nonstick friand pan, butter and flour its cavities, and refrigerate the tin until ready to use.
-
To make the brown butter, cut the butter into small pieces and place it in a small saucepan. Bring the pan over low to medium heat and melt the butter until the golden color. Watch out for golden brown color, solid brown milk solids on the sides and bottom of the pan, and a hazelnut smell.
-
Pour the butter into another bowl to stop cooking, keeping the browned solids. Let the brown butter cool to room temperature.
-
To make the friand batter, sift all-purpose flour, icing (powdered) sugar, almond meal, ground star anise, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
-
In a clean, separate bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer or a hand whisk for 15-20 seconds. Pour egg whites into the flour mixture, and stir until combined. Add cooled melted butter and mix gently until just combined.
-
Take the prepared mold out of the fridge and fill the cavities up to two-thirds. Arrange 1-2 whole blackberries on top.
-
Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the edges become golden brown. Test with a toothpick: the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
-
Take the cakes out of the oven and let them cool in the mold for 3-5 minutes. To help loosen them, use a butter knife to run carefully around the sides of each friand. Turn the pan onto a wire rack and let the cakes cool completely. To serve, dust friands with icing sugar.
Notes
- 150 g egg whites are approximately equal to 4 raw fresh egg whites from extra large size chicken eggs.
- To make ground star anise, crush 3 whole star anises in a spice grinder and pass through a mini-sieve two to three times.
- Avoid overwhipping egg whites: they shouldn't be mounted.
- If you use a metal friand pan, bake your friands at 355°F (180°C) for 20-25 minutes.
- This recipe is created to make 8 friands. If you have a friand mold with 12 cavities, multiply the recipe ingredients by 1.5.
- The friand batter fills about ten cups of a regular muffin tray. Bake at 355°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes (use a toothpick test).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 387
- Sugar: 26.3 g
- Sodium: 168 mg
- Fat: 25.9 mg
- Saturated Fat: 12.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.3 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg
Keywords: blackberry friands
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on January 20, 2020. The recipe has been updated and may differ from what was originally published.
For reference, if you have made this recipe previously and want to replicate it, the friand batter called for one teaspoon of orange zest added at the time with brown butter.
Elaine says
Thanks for the easy-to-follow instructions. While these heart-shaped friands will be perfect for Valentine's Day, I can see that this recipe will be useful year-round in different shapes! Thanks.
★★★★★
Irina says
You are right, Elaine! You can easily use different molds to bake these small cakes. Thank you for your comment. Please, enjoy!
michele says
I've never heard of friands but these pretty treats are perfect for Valentine's Day. I love the options for different types of berries and the tips on star anise.
★★★★★
Irina says
Michele, I am happy to give you a new baking idea for Valentine's day! Happy baking and enjoy!
Carrie Robinson says
Such a perfect recipe for Valentine's Day! 🙂
★★★★
Irina says
Thank you very much, Carrie!
Sally @ Savory With Soul says
These look perfect for Valentine's Day - my husband will love them! Thanks!
★★★★★
Irina says
Oh, it is great to hear, Sally! Happy baking and enjoy!
Shinta Simon says
I have never made friands, and I've defininitely missed out on the good stuff! These would be so cute for Valentines Day!
★★★★★
Irina says
Shinta, you will love these friands. You might decide to double the recipe, since they are so good! Thank you for your comment.
Traci says
Yayyyy! I've found a new, reliable Valentine's day recipe to make for my sweetheart. He'll love these! Thanks for another winner 🙂
★★★★★
Irina says
You are welcome, Traci. These pretty and tasty cakes are so easy to make! Just enjoy!
Suzy says
Love how easy these are to make! I am such a fan of blackberries in baked goods! Perfect for any day of the year!
★★★★★
Irina says
I agree with you, Suzy! Easily made in a muffin pan, they make a great alternative to well known muffins all year round. Thanks for your comment.
Sara Welch says
These look so light and juicy; a perfect dessert for Valentine's Day, indeed!
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Irina says
Yes, they are!:) Thank you for your comment, Sara!
Julie says
Cute idea for Valentines Day! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you so much, Julie!
Jayne says
Made these last night. Amazing! Everyone loved them and the blackberry flavor.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Jayne, for letting me know that you loved the recipe!
Katie says
These look so fun to try. I can't wait!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks, Katie! Happy baking!
Colleen says
I've never heard of friands, but they look and sound amazing. And perfect for Valentine's Day. Can't wait to try these. Thank you!
★★★★★
Irina says
Yes, it is a great idea to make on that special day... something cute and romantic. Happy baking, Colleen. Thanks for your comment.
Veena Azmanov says
Cute and creative, and a delicious Valentine option. A recipe for the Day soon.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you, Veena! These Friands so cute and tasty that I would recommend to double the recipe:)
Kushigalu says
Something new to me. These would be the perfect treat for Valentine's day.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you very much, Kushigalu!
Bry says
Friands are so hard to find here in Scotland, but this recipe means I don't need to go hunting for them anymore - I can make my own, AND they're so easy and yummy, too! Love this recipe!
Irina says
Thank you, Bry! I am happy to hear that this recipe is loved in Scottland:)
Kim says
Yum! Such a delicious recipe and so perfect for Valentine's Day!
★★★★★
Irina says
It is true! Thank you for your comment, Kim!
Sara Welch says
I gave these a try this afternoon, and they did not disappoint! Exactly what I needed to cure my sweet tooth; delish!
★★★★★
Irina says
I am glad to hear that, Sara. Thanks for making the recipe!
Julie Menghini says
Very cute heart-shaped cakes. The flavor combination sounds fabulous, and I can see making these for an afternoon snack with friends.
★★★★★
Irina says
Thanks for stopping by, Julie. Please, enjoy the recipe. 🙂
Nicole Durham says
Such an interesting looking recipe. I've never had a friand before but after reading this, I'm eager to try it soon (thankfully, I still have time before Valentine's Day).
★★★★★
Irina says
Please, enjoy the recipe, Nicole, and let me know how it went.
Beth Sachs says
What cute little cakes. I'm always on the lookout for new blackberry recipes as we have lots growing in our garden.
★★★★★
Irina says
It is a great idea to make the recipe once blackberries are on season. Please, enjoy it, Beth. 🙂
Jo says
So good!! Thank you for this great blackberry friand recipe! So easy and yet fragrant and satisfying!
★★★★★
Irina says
You are very welcome, Jo Please, enjoy it.
Kswilli says
I’ve made your recipe before and love them! Great texture and flavor. Not a fan of star anise so I will try cinnamon, maybe? I see you don’t strain out the brown butter solids. I like the idea of not straining! I’d like to try these in a silicone mini cupcake pan. Suggestions? Thank you!
Irina says
Hello Kate, You can easily omit ground star anise. As for ground cinnamon, you can try it, but I have never used it for friands. And I never strain the brown butter: these brown specks are just caramelized milk solids. And yes, you can make friands in a mini muffin pan but watch out for the baking time. Happy baking!