Rhubarb Friands with White Chocolate
Back along, nearly three years ago to be exact, I hosted a six course chocolate themed dinner party for friends. These rhubarb friands with white chocolate (that’s with an a not an e) accompanied the rhubarb, rose and white chocolate ice-cream that made up the last course but one. With rhubarb already in season, this seems like a good time to finally publish the recipe.
What Are Friands?
Friands are the Australian version of the better known French financiers. They are made with egg whites, so are a lighter bake than your average sponge. Traditionally made with a mix of ground almonds and flour, I always use buckwheat flour in my friands to make them gluten free and why not? This seems to work as they are extremely moreish. They are also quick and easy to bake. I have neither the traditional oval friand moulds, nor the rectangular financier ones, so I make do with plain old muffin moulds and mini ones at that. This gives a good balance of crisp outer edge and soft, light interior. Tuck in.
Show Me
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Rhubarb Friands. PIN IT.
Rhubarb Friands – The Recipe
A most moreish morsel of light sponge flavoured with rhubarb and white chocolate. These friands are gluten-free, easy to bake and even easier to eat.
- 25 g unsalted butter
- 25 g white chocolate - I used G&B
- 25 g trimmed rhubarb - chopped very finely.
- 1 large egg white - I used a duck egg.
- 40 g golden icing sugar
- 15 g buckwheat flour
- 20 g ground almonds
- Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat with the white chocolate. Stir and leave to cool a little.
- Whisk the egg white in a large bowl until frothy, but not stiff.
- Sieve in the icing sugar and whisk.
- Gently stir in the melted butter mixture followed by the rhubarb.
- Sieve in the buckwheat flour and fold in together with the ground almonds.
- Divide the mixture between 12 silicone mini cupcake cases.
- Bake for about 15 minutes at 180℃ until golden, firm and well risen.
- Leave to cool for a little, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled for more of these delicious morsels.
Sharing
This month We Should Cocoa is being hosted by another baking luminary, Helen at Casa Costello. She has chosen red/pink as the theme for this month, so my pink rhubarb friands fit in perfectly I reckon.
My rhubarb friands also go to Lucy the Baking Queen for Perfecting Patisserie.
Other friand recipes you might like
- Cinnamon choc chip friands via Tin and Thyme
- Hazelnut and white chocolate friands via As Strong as Soup
- Raspberry and white chocolate friands via Tin and Thyme
Lucy @ BakingQueen74
2nd April 2016 at 7:18 pmMmm, these sound and look delicious! I love friands and rhubarb and white chocolate sounds like a wonderful combination. Must try these. Thanks so much for joining in with #PerfectingPatisserie!
Choclette
2nd April 2016 at 8:37 pmThanks Lucy. I’ve been meaning to join in for ages, but keep forgetting!
munchiesandmunchkins
2nd April 2016 at 11:02 pmI keep meaning to bake more with rhubarb – its on my to do list this year. These look so good.
Choclette
3rd April 2016 at 11:16 amI love the flavour and sharp tang that rhubarb gives to sweet bakes and it works really well with white chocolate.
Erica
3rd April 2016 at 12:48 amThese look delicious!
Choclette
3rd April 2016 at 11:13 amThanks Erica, they really are tasty little morsels 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
3rd April 2016 at 9:16 amCan you believe that friands have been on my to do list for like 3 years. I must pull my finger out and make some, starting with yours.
Choclette
3rd April 2016 at 11:11 amI can indeed believe it Bintu – I’ve had things on my to do list since I first started my blog.
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs
3rd April 2016 at 12:01 pmI ADORE rhubarb! Is it rhubarb season again? I loose track!!! I’ve never had a friand but these look delicious. Perfect with a cup of tea 🙂
Choclette
3rd April 2016 at 12:33 pmI love rhubarb too. Garden rhubarb is emerging now, though I think the forced early rhubarb is probably over. You must try a friand.
Alicia (foodycat)
3rd April 2016 at 2:59 pmI’m so pleased friands are starting to get a profile here! They are one of my favourite things.
Choclette
3rd April 2016 at 5:11 pmOh I wish they were Alicia. I think you said something similar when I first made them 4 or 5 years ago.
Phil in the Kitchen
3rd April 2016 at 11:55 pmIt’s safe to say that I love friands and yet I haven’t made any for quite a while. This has reminded me just how good they can be, especially since I love rhubarb. I also like your use of buckwheat flour – I must try that.
Choclette
4th April 2016 at 1:29 pmIt was you that got me on to friands in the first place Phil and I’m so very pleased you did. I always use buckwheat flour now when I make friands.
Jillian Parsons
4th April 2016 at 4:56 pmI don’t do the baking in the family, but my main man does take requests! I’ll see if he can tackle these.
Choclette
5th April 2016 at 10:40 amA baker in the house who takes requests is a very find thing indeed 🙂
Lucie
5th April 2016 at 12:11 pmErrrr… think I have just found my inspiration for my next bake day. Yum! I imagine they would be good with a dollop of custard over the top too.
Choclette
5th April 2016 at 1:06 pmOoh now Lucie, that does sound like a nice idea.
Vicky
6th April 2016 at 1:07 amThey look delicious. I am always looking for new recipes that call for buckwheat flour.
Choclette
6th April 2016 at 8:38 amThanks Vicky. I often add buckwheat flour to bakes as I quite like the texture and flavour it brings.
Jenn
6th April 2016 at 4:13 amA dinner party focused on chocolate sounds divine! And I love rhubarb!
Choclette
6th April 2016 at 8:37 amThe dinner party was a really fun thing to do. As for rhubarb I’m getting very excited about this year’s harvest 🙂
Emma @ Adventures of a London Kiwi
6th April 2016 at 8:02 amMmmmmmmmmmmm Friands are the best – you’re right, it’s the combination of crispy & soft!
Choclette
6th April 2016 at 8:35 amAh yes, of course you would know what a friand is Emma 🙂
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
8th April 2016 at 1:07 pmI LOVE the idea of having the white chocolate cooked throughout the sponge, that sounds so delicious!
Choclette
8th April 2016 at 5:44 pmWhite chocolate works really well in baking, it’s much underrated.
Glamorous Glutton
9th April 2016 at 5:03 pmI love Friands and these are a great twist on the original. GG
Choclette
11th April 2016 at 8:00 amThanks GG. Always good to chat to fellow friand fans 🙂
Janice
12th April 2016 at 10:00 pmNow would you believe, I’ve never actually made friands or financiers. The rhubarb is coming through in the garden so I may give these a try, they look and sound delicious.
Choclette
13th April 2016 at 8:45 amOoh, I’m so looking forward to getting hold of some rhubarb. Ours doesn’t like it down on the plot for some reason, so I only get what my mother passes to me these days. Our old allotment grew it really well.
Kate - gluten free alchemist
13th April 2016 at 11:34 amI LOVE Friands….. Can see these look amazing and the idea of using rhubarb in them sounds divine…
So excited to see our rhubarb is nearly ready for first harvest! Yay!!!!
Choclette
13th April 2016 at 11:36 amHooray, another friand fan Kate. I’m envious of your rhubarb. Ours doesn’t like out plot and refuses to go. We’ve tried several plants in different locations. No idea why.
Helen Costello
30th April 2016 at 9:33 pmI don’t use Rhubarb nearly enough – These are tempting me so much! Thanks again for inviting me to host #WeShouldCocoa during April x
Choclette
1st May 2016 at 9:19 amThanks Helen, I adore rhubarb. And thank you very much for hosting this month.