Dark Chocolate and Coconut Friands

. February, 2016
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Dark Chocolate and Coconut Friands

As much as I love madeleines and their wonderful shape, they are a one day wonder and I prefer to make cakes that have a longer shelf life. Here I’ve filled the madeleine tin with my favourite gluten-free friand recipe and sandwiched them together with berry jam and cream.

INGREDIENTS

100 grams butter, diced
100 grams dark chocolate, chopped
1½ cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup ground almonds
6 large egg whites (size 7 eggs)  
1 teaspoon vanilla extract with star anise (I used Equagold)
finely grated zest 1 orange zest
To assemble
200 grams mascarpone
½ cup cream
jam of choice, I used seedless blackberry
12 hole non-stick madeleine tin* well greased with cooking spray

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water. 

Sift the icing sugar, cocoa and baking powder together into a large bowl and stir in the coconut and ground almonds.

Stir in the egg whites, vanilla and the orange zest then stir in the melted chocolate until well combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to thicken. 

Spoon the mixture into the tins until just level with the top and bake for 10 minutes. Leave for 1 minute then remove to a cooling rack. They will stick if left to cool in the tins. 

Wipe the tin clean, re-spray and fill again. Repeat this one more time to make 36 friands.

To assemble: Gently whip the mascarpone and cream together until thick. Don’t overbeat or it will go grainy and separate.

Spread the flat side of half of the friands with jam and the remaining half with cream. Sandwich together and dust with icing sugar. The unfilled friands will keep in an airtight container for 3 days. Makes 18 filled friands

*If you don’t have a madeleine tin, the friands can be made in 12 regular oval friand tins or standard muffin tins. Grease well and line the bases with baking paper. They will need about 20 minutes cooking time. Top with the cream and jam to serve.