Raspberry Coconut Friands Recipe by watereverysunday
This is one of my favorite mini cupcake recipes and it's so easy to make. These french mini cakes are popular in Australia and New Zealand. If you are not so familiar with Friands, these are similar to Financiers which are more widely known French mini cakes but Friands are, let's say lighter versions in its taste and texture. Both use almond meals but Friands are made with half and half almond meal and flour ratio, while Financiers use mainly almond meals with a small portion of flour. Also Financiers recipe browns the butter to add its nutty and buttery taste while Friands go without for its lighter taste and airy texture. Let's say, Financiers are beautique mini cakes and Friands are casual bakery cupcakes. Then add fruits, chocolates and nuts depending on your preference to fancify(?).
A little off topic for a bit here, whether you believe in astrology or not, many of the planets this month are retrograding and one of the planets we feel the most is Venus (July 22 - Sept 3, 2023), which governs all things that are beauty, relationship and even finances. If you feel something is off, it's not only you. We all feel it.
Image Source: Venus wrapped in turbulent clouds, NASA
When things are off, especially Venus is in a backward motion (It's not really backward but appears... in our perspective), the best thing to do is reflect/review, reconnect (with people.. I do strangely run into people from the past during retrograde time), redo/repair, clean and reorganize, and reset/recharge for a better tomorrow. Just imagine that before we move to a new place, we organize and throw things away, and pack only things we need to the new place. Retrograde periods are a great time for that. Also it is a perfect time to do antique or flea market shopping for bargains and buy basic timelessly classic items that are not affected by trends as our aesthetic senses are little off. Organize your closet and clean things that you don't need and donate to charity. Interestingly though, the things I bought during planet retrograding, I tend to find them again from the closet/storage and enjoy during the retrograde period, re-appreciating them. Literally you are in retro fashioning! Also, you find things that you lost during previous retrograde time when you go thru your stuff - literally lost and found happens a lot during the planetary retrograde times.
Retrograde times are also good for resting, have your hairdown - do not mean to have fun but be homebody, do facial masks, read books and do some selfcare. Not for major big purchases, makeover, new hair style change other than trims etc.
Read more on my view on Astrology at the end of this blog post.
Also it is good time to bake!
So let's BAKE!
Full recipe followed by and referenced from
https://www.teeniecakes.com/raspberry-coconut-friands/
Raspberry Coconut Friands
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 onces)
- 1 cup almond meals/flour
- 1 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp basing powder
- 1/4 shredded coconut
- 5 egg whites
- fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
R E C I P E
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C)
- Melt Butter in Microwave, in 10 sec increment and swirl to melt until all liquified. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk egg whites until lightly creamy and foamy.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl using a fork or whisker. Shifting is optional.
- Gently stir in the whisked egg whites and slightly cooled melted butter to the dry ingredients mixture.
- Fill cupcake molds, 2/3 or 70% full and add 1-3 raspberries* per mold, depending on the size of berries. I used silicone molds but if using metal ones, butter the molds for easy removal after baking.
- Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 - 25 minutes until top of the friends are light to golden brown. Remove from the molds, cool on a wire rack.
- Serve or Enjoy as is or with sprinkled powdered sugar on top.
I found this gluten free version of Friands recipe video on Youtube which is quite wonderful and useful. This recipe needs a little more skill but still very easy to follow and especially great to see how she uses the leftover egg yolks to make egg custard. For me, I save them for baking Canele, another favorite French mini cake of mine.
E N J O Y
your FRIAND-ly
BAKING EVERYONE !!
Now continued…. on Astrology.
I am a huge believer in astrology even with my science background and religious beliefs because those planets have a serious impact on our daily lives with their cosmic force. Sometimes we can't even feel it, but we all know it's there, as we are all made in atoms and elements. Our limited 5 senses can only take us so far, but our sixth sense and beyond, they're like the true cosmic antennas. Living on this crazy beautiful planet Earth, we get to witness the Sun's epic rise and set daily, basking in its rad light and warmth. Let's not forget about our little blue orb floating in the vast galaxy, doing its planetary dance with other planets. It's like we're watching a mind-blowing show on TV. Sometimes, you understand why people and animals go wild during full moons!
One of my favorite Astrology site is Astrology Zone by Susan Miller. Monthly horoscope is something that I read every month and it is pretty accurate and insightful. Her podcasts are interesting to listen to as she personified these planets and tell astrological event stories like fun fables.
All cultures around the world developed their own way in astrology - theories and studies that developed zodiac signs and birth charts. Throughout the ages, civilizations spanning the globe have crafted intricate theories and conducted meticulous studies in the realm of astrology, culminating in the creation of their own unique zodiac signs and birth charts.
Upon the day and hour of your birth, you shall be highly influenced by the celestial alignment, as the planets assert their unique nature and physical essence. Just think about the fact that our universe was created from a big bang that exploded by force of nature and power at the time of the event, then all particles are gradually stabilized and evolved into the current state where we are now in. This bang could have happened in a million different ways but it happened in this 1 and a million the way as now. That also means you are the one and a million chances of happenstance as the way you are now.
That said, it is awesome to live in this universe at this micro level and enjoy our mundane lives that are built on such a grand scale which we could not fathom its purpose of whoever created it (if you believe in God). And we are all here to search for meaning of our lives. This kind of reflection certainly could inspire anyone for a reason to live. That said, we should live fully, happier and enjoy our 1 and a million chance of existence and uniqueness.