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Rhubarb & Custard Friands
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Rhubarb & Custard Friands
Easily doubled to make 12.
Servings: 6
Author: Just Jo
Ingredients
  • 60 g ground almonds
  • 50 g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp custard powder
  • 125 g icing sugar
  • 90 g melted butter
  • 3 medium egg whites whisked only until frothy
  • 1 stalk of rhubarb with vanilla sugar to sprinkle
For the Creme Patisserie
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 40 g caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour (can substitute this for custard powder)
  • 1/2 vanilla pod
  • 175 ml semi-skimmed or full fat milk
  • Icing sugar to finish
Instructions

  1. Firstly make your creme pat – simply heat the milk with the vanilla pod in (scrape out the seeds first and add to the milk). When just about to boil, pour onto the egg yolks, sugar and flour which you have whisked together briefly. When combined, return to the pan and whisk constantly over the heat until thickened. Pour into a wide dish to hasten cooling and cover the surface directly with cling film and leave until room temp. When cooled fully, spoon out generous teaspoons onto some waxed paper or greased foil sat on a freezer safe plate and freeze for 2-3 hours until solid. 

  2. Next, roast one long stalk of rhubarb cut into lozenges (or diamonds) tossed with a light coating of caster sugar (about 1 heaped tbsp) at 180°C for 30- 40 minutes. Don’t move them about or add any liquid as they will turn into a mush. When cool, chose 6 pieces to top the cakes with and chop the rest finely.

  3. Grease your chosen tin well (you may get 8 friands if you use a muffin pan). Preheat the oven to 180° C.
  4. Now sift or whisk together the ground almonds, custard powder, flour and icing sugar.
  5. Stir in the chopped cooked rhubarb, whisked egg whites and when just about incorporated, stir in the butter. Ensure there are no lumps of flour remaining.
  6. Spoon 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared tin. Top with a spoonful of frozen creme pat. Spoon over the remaining mixture and top with a lozenge of rhubarb.
  7. Bake for 25-30 minutes in the centre of the oven until risen and the cakes spring back to the touch.
  8. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling fully on the rack. You can paint them with some of the juice from the roasted rhubarb or sift over some icing sugar.