Raspberry Lime Friands

Serves: 12
Prep Time: 15-20 mins
Cook Time: 20-25 mins

Ingredients
150g butter
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1¼ cup almond meal
1 ½ cups icing sugar sifted
¾ cup plain flour sifted or ½ cup GF flour
½ tsp baking powder
5 egg whites of large eggs
1 lime, zest & juice
1 punnet of fresh raspberries

Method
Preheat your oven 180°C (350°F). Pre-prepare by greasing a friand bullion or muffin tin. Place the butter & vanilla over low heat, melting it & allowing it to bubble until it starts to go just golden in colour. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place almond meal, icing sugar, flour & baking powder in a bowl & stir to combine. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites, and stir until just combined. Add the melted butter mixture & lime + lime zest, then fold again until just mixed in.
Spoon approx. 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each prepared mould, then place raspberries on top by gently pushing them in until they are just poking up from the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden & springy on top but still moist in the centre. Leave to cool for 10 minutes & turn out onto a wire rack.

To Serve
Simply dust with icing sugar. For an extra indulgence, I sometimes like to warm them & add a dollop of double cream.

Kitchen Notes
Whenever you have leftover egg whites, friands are a great solution. Egg whites can keep up to two weeks in the fridge if in a sealed container.
Friands freeze very well. These make for a great lunchbox snack as they thaw just in time for morning tea as well as holding their shape.

Replace the flour with a gluten free substitute to make friands for coeliac friends.

Recipe by Megann Evans for Fresh Aussie Berries.

It's Aussie Raspberry & Blackberry Season!

Australian raspberry and blackberry growers have enjoyed perfect growing conditions this season, thanks to warm days and cool nights in the southern regions, resulting in high quality and volumes of these super berries.

From Simple To Super

Entertaining essential: Add fresh Aussie raspberries and blackberries to grazing boards, salads and desserts for a burst of colour and flavour.

Perfect pairing: Raspberries go with rhubarb, thyme, ginger, stone fruits, lemon, vanilla, goats cheese, ricotta, kangaroo, chocolate and ice-cream.

Blackberries go with almonds, duck, venison, beef, black pepper, cinnamon, stone fruits, melon, lemon, chocolate and cream.

Everyday special: Make simple things super – sprinkle your berries on cereal, yoghurt, fruit salad and cheese platters. Or, try combinations like sweet raspberries with crunchy nuts to add a burst of sweetness.

Pick A Winner

Fresh pick: Look for firm, bright and plump berries, and avoid any that look too dark, dull or squashed.
Ripe and ready: Enjoy straight from the punnet, within 1-2 days.
Best eaten when: Keep your berries unwashed and loosely packed in the fridge, but bring them to room temperature before enjoying so they taste their berry best.

Berry Healthy

Nutritionist Nadia Felsch has shared the amazing health benefits of these little super berries.

A 150g serve of raspberries or blackberries offers a range of health benefits:
Good for your gut: They're bursting with fibre, important for a healthy gut.
Fatigue fighter: Help fight fatigue with their combination of B vitamins and high levels of vitamin C.
Immunity booster: Packed full of vitamin C and a good source of folate, they help keep your immune system fighting fit.
Glowing skin: Fresh Aussie raspberries and blackberries contain skin-loving vitamins C and E, with raspberries also containing B vitamin biotin.
Pump it up: Ideal for active muscles, raspberries are a source of potassium and blackberries and source of magnesium.
Brain power: These amazing little berries help support your state of mind with their combination of B vitamins and vitamin C.

Did You Know?

While peak Aussie raspberry and blackberry season is November - May, they are available almost all year round to enjoy
All fresh Aussie raspberries and blackberries are locally grown and lovingly picked by hand
Unlike other fruits, raspberries and blackberries don't continue to ripen after they've been picked so you can enjoy right from the punnet!