Ingredients
Lemon syrupe
Method
1.Make lemon syrup; place ingredients in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium heat; stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; simmer, without stirring, for 10 minutes or until syrup has reduced to ⅓ cup. Cool.
2.Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease two 6-hole (½-cup/125ml) friand pans.
3.Cook peas in a small saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute or until they rise to the surface. Drain immediately. Place peas in a bowl of iced water; cool. Drain peas well; pat dry lightly with paper towel. Blend or process peas and 1 egg white until almost smooth.
4.Lightly whisk extra egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form; fold pea puree through egg whites.
5.Sift almond meal, flour, icing sugar and salt into a medium bowl. Fold three-quarters of the dry ingredients into egg white mixture. Add butter and remaining dry ingredients; stir until combined (do not over mix). Spoon mixture into pan holes.
6.Bake friands for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and a small cracked mound appears on each friand. Leave friands in pans for 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.
7.Fold 1 tablespoon of the lemon syrup through the mascarpone in a small bowl.
8.Serve friands topped with lemon mascarpone, drizzled with remaining syrup. Top with flowers and tendrils.
This recipe is ideal to make in spring when fresh peas are readily available. We used almond meal from blanched almonds. When testing if friands are cooked, insert the skewer as close to the centre as possible but not through a crack; cracks will give an inaccurate result. Lemon syrup can be made a week ahead; store in a jar in the fridge. Friands can be made a day ahead.
Note
