Coconut Friands

I was flipping through my Dorie Greenspan cookbook, Around My French Table, looking for a dessert.  I have made three chocolate desserts in a row and was looking for something different. 

Voilà, I found Coconut Friands.  These little coconut tea cakes, similar to financiers are a perfect sweet treat with a cup of tea or espresso.

Seven simple ingredients are whisked together in the time it takes to melt a stick of butter.

Using a mini muffin pan, the batter makes 20 little cakes.

Bake for just 15 - 17 minutes for moist, tender cakes.  Do not wait for a golden color.

Hubby likes the little treats with his morning coffee.  He give them a 15 second zap in the microwave. 

You could dress up the Coconut Friands with a drizzle of melted chocolate.  I LOVE coconut and these little treats are mostly coconut with just enough "cake" to hold them  together.  

Here is the recipe:  ( a bit adapted )

Coconut Friands

4 egg whites, preferably at room temperature

1 1/2 cups shredded dried coconut, preferable unsweetened 

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, melted

Center rack in oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Butter the cups of mini muffin tins or use paper liners.  Using 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter will yield 20 cakes.  

Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk them until they are smooth and slightly foamy.  One by one, whisk in the remaining ingredients gently being particularly careful with the flour and butter.  You'll have a thick batter with a nice satiny sheen.  At this point you may save the batter for up to 3 days by placing plastic wrap on the surface of the batter and placing in the refrigerator.

Spoon the batter into the muffing tins and put the tins on a baking sheet.  

Bake the friands for 15 - 17 minutes.  Poke a toothpick into the center of a cake and it should come out clean.  As soon as you remove the pans from the oven, unmold the cakes or turn out from the pan.  Cool on racks.