I haven’t been writing so frequently, I don’t know why. It started last month when I got tied up with some other priorities. But that busyness is over now and I haven’t been able to catch up with my love of food photography, styling and writing. Although I have still been baking for friends and family, because I believe I just can’t live without it. …
Strawberry & Almond Friands
So we wanted to go out and spend the entire day on weekend in a farm or some park or even near a river, if possible. Because it is spring officially for us. Winters are long gone and it’s definitely the time to step out. Sun is rising and shining with cool breeze flowing through the ears. Such immense pleasure to soak up all that positivity which this bright and sunny weather brings along with it! I had been waiting for this weather eagerly and lots of ideas were playing on my mind since then. I wanted to make lots of picnic food and bake those lovely fruity summer berry cakes. But rarely the things go the way you would have thought them to happen! It wasn’t different anyway this time too. Friends had plans of their own for almost during the entire Spring season. And I couldn’t wait. So, I baked these lovely strawberry & almond friands, bottled some fresh milk, tucked in some seasonal juicy berries, a bottle of jam, a flask of tea and few books to read and of course a dear friend to share this joy with me. Though we couldn’t find a river but we got ourselves this beautiful airy and sunny solace in the middle of a farm nearby, where we soaked in the beauty of greener fields. It was a dream which we lived through our entire day in that farm, munching on to these yummy berry cakes, reading books, and soaking up sun.


- 100 gm unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 125 gm icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 120 gm ground almonds
- 3 medium egg whites
- 1 lemon, grated rind only
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 100 gm strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 4 tbsp flaked almonds
- Preheat the oven to fan 180 degree C. Butter six non-stick friand or muffin tins.
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
- Sift together the icing sugar and almond flour into a bowl.
- Whisk the egg whites in another bowl until they form a light foam.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, tip in the egg whites and lemon rind, then lightly stir in the butter to form a soft batter.
- Divide the batter among the tins. Sprinkle strawberries slices and flaked almonds over each cake and bake for 15-20 minutes until just firm to the touch and golden brown.
- Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.
- You can substitute vanilla bean for vanilla powder.