fig & pistachio friands (baked in a muffin tray!!)

i love my sunday's! its my day to cook & bake & do all the things i most enjoy :) its funny that im posting a sweet 1st up as im not really a sweet tooth @ all. im more a salt n vinegar kinda girl but my partner LOVES his sweets & desserts so i thought id spoil him (again ;)

FIG & PISTACHIO FRIANDS (BAKED IN A MUFFIN TRAY!!)

you'll find friands in most kiwi cafes, but this is a favourite @ our place. you'll need a metal, oval-shaped friand tin (which i couldnt find in the clutter of my kitchen drawers) or you could use a small muffin tin instead ;p


ingredients:

140g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
100g peeled unsalted pistachios
50g plain flour
150g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
4 large egg whites

method:

1. preheat the oven to 190C/fan170C. lightly butter the friand tin & place the nuts in the food processor and blitz to fine crumbs.

2. sift the flour and 100g icing sugar into food processor and blitz for a few seconds. add the melted butter to the dry ingredients in the food processor and blitz again to combine. tip the mixture into a cute little mixing bowl.

3. in another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining icing sugar and a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks. mix a third of the egg white into the flour & butter mixture, then add the figs.
the figs will look like this when bought:

 but you will need to cut them into little chunky bits & add to the mixture :)
carefully fold in the remaining two-thirds of the egg whites. spoon the friand mixture into the prepared moulds and bake for 20-22mins, until a skewer instered into the friand comes out barely moist.

4. leave to cool for 10mins before gently tapping out and cooling on a wire rack. serve dusted with icing sugar.

enjoy!! :)