Chocolate, Hazelnut and Pear Friands

I think the title says it all. This is one Heavenly combo that people find irresistible. Pears are fruits that we always have at home. My kids love them and it is their favourite lunchbox fruit as well. The best part however, is that they’re great at all stages- ripe, almost ripe and green. The ripe ones are a great filler for pies, tarts and smoothies as their sweet flesh yet neutral flavour makes them a perfect accompaniment to berries. So when I am making a strawberry or a blueberry pie, I usually throw in a few ripe pears.

 

We Aussies love our friands. Afternoon tea is incomplete without them. To those who have not tasted a friand, you can call them a nutty cousin of the muffins, though they are way easier to whip up. The two main ingredients are egg whites and nut meal or ground nuts. Any nut would normally work though each one would yield a different taste and texture. My favourites are coffee-walnut, raspberry-almond but chocolate hazelnut takes the top position.

These friands are moist, nutty, crunchy as well as chocolatey. The soft pears complement the crunchy texture really well. Have you ever tried a friand? What is your favourite flavour?

Chocolate, Hazelnut and Pear Friands
Makes 6-8 large friands

5 egg whites, lightly whisked
1 cup hazelnut meal
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
180 g unsalted butter, melted
1 cup icing sugar
3 pears, cored, quartered (I used semi-ripe Packham pears),

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C for fan forced ovens).  Lightly grease friand molds or any other mold or muffin pan you would like to bake them in.

Place all the ingredients together  in a large bowl leaving out the pears. Whisk until well blended. Divide uniformly among molds (make sure to fill only up to 3/4th of mold). Slice the pear quarters and press onto the friand batter in each mold. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your mold or until cooked through ( test with a wooden skewer, it should come out clean).

Remove from oven and leave aside for 5 mins. Then, gently turn onto a wire rack to cool. Best served warm or at room temperature.