I did not make resolutions for the new year because somewhere along the course of the year, I feel they change for me. Perhaps the greatest lesson I have learnt over time is that with some minor adjustments, a bit of flexibility and a wee bit of make-do, life becomes a lot easier to embrace. Flexibility means along with the expected you also make room for the unexpected things in your life, both good and bad. And in doing so, you save yourself from a few let-downs and disappointments. The world becomes a happier a place to live in.

I have decided to adopt a ‘take it as it comes’ approach to both life, in general and blogging. There will be days when meringues will crack..I will not fret. I will make an Eton Mess instead. Lava cakes may turn out over-baked…I will enjoy them as puddings. If l can’t pipe pretty swirls around life, then so be it. I will learn to have fun with dollops. Dollops aren’t perfect…you can’t weigh or measure them. That’s why they are dollops and we love them.

Uh..well, think I could do with a sugar fix at the moment.

These friands are the simplest things to bake. Easy, uncomplicated and quite forgiving. Flexible, in other words.

All you need is a bowl to mix. If you do not have friand moulds (I have used oval ones), bake them in muffin pans or mini loaf pans. You can use honey or golden syrup instead of maple syrup and your own choice of fruits or berries if you like.
Try them, they taste great!

 

Apple and Maple Friands (Financiers)
Yields 12

1 cup almond meal (ground almonds) or any nut meal of your choice
3/4 cup plain flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
11/4 cup icing sugar
6 egg whites
125 g unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 cup peeled, cored and chopped apples
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced to place on top of the friand

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Place the almond meal, flour, baking powder, icing sugar, egg whites, butter, maple syrup and chopped apples in a bowl and whisk until combined. Divide the mixture into friand pans/friand moulds or muffin pans (till half full) Place a few sliced apples on top of each mould. Push slightly into the batter so that the apples are enclosed within the friand batter. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the friands are golden and cooked through. Using a palette knife, loosen the edges and remove the friands from the tins immediately. Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.