Apricot Friands with Brandy Apricot Sauce 

Makes 8 to 10 Friands

Ingredients
175g butter
1 cup ground almonds
1½ cups icing sugar
½ cup flour
5 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 x 400g cans apricot halves in juice or syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons brandy

Method
Preheat oven to 220°C. Spray a tray of friand moulds with non-stick baking spray.
Either in the microwave or in a small saucepan, melt the butter until it is liquid and frothy. Pour through a fine sieve and allow to cool down.
Place the ground almonds, icing sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Add the unbeaten egg whites and mix together. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix well.
Spoon in approximately a tablespoon of mixture into each greased mould. Place a few pieces (approximately a quarter) of apricot in each friand then cover with the remaining mixture.
Bake for five minutes then turn the oven down to 200°C and bake for a further 12 to 15 minutes.
Cool in the tins for five minutes before carefully turning out on to a wire rack to cool.
Whiz the remaining apricot halves in a blender with the brandy and a little apricot juice, until it is a smooth puree.
Serve the friands on a little pool of apricot brandy sauce with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
Friands can be stored in an airtight container for one to two days.