Raspberry Friands

I love my stand mixer, I really do, but sometimes it is nice to make a recipe that just requires a bowl and a simple wooden spoon. Sometimes I have to remember that I didn't always own a stand mixer and others probably still don't. I'm always amazed when I read that people own them and never use them. I honestly use mine almost every day. Today, I'm going to let it take a little rest while I make raspberry friands.
I have been fascinated lately by muffin type baked goods from cultures around the world. There are a few I have been experimenting with over the years, like a Salvadorian one that contains a lot of eggs and butter. I find that they are just too rich for me. A rich, eggy breakfast muffin is a nice treat, but not when it leaves you with a belly ache.
This Australian version of the friand is a nice balance, rich, but not too rich. I think it is the use of only the egg whites that helps.
I had been wanting to make these for a while, but I really wanted to wait until raspberry season rolled around again. Usually I make my berry supply last and am often making up crazy mixed berry jams in an effort to make room for the following years stash. This year I had limited picking time, so things went pretty quick. Last week I searched my freezer and thought that all of last years raspberries had already been used up. Somehow I had missed the one final bag. I had packed it flat and so it just blended in at the bottom of the freezer. I was thrilled to find it and I knew right away that I would make these friands. I did cheat and buy a box of raspberries from the grocery store to garnish them though. I have to admit, as much as I love our local raspberries, a few fresh ones in the dead of winter was kind of a nice treat. Although it is just going to make waiting for the next raspberry season all that much harder.
What seasonal fruits and berries do you squirrel away for the winter? Do you ration them out to make them last? Are you able to use them all up by the time the next years picking season rolls around?

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Raspberry Friands
adapted from What Katie Ate

10 large egg whites
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 pint raspberries, plus extra for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease 18 holes of regular sized muffin tins, or 36 mini muffin tins. I was able to get 24 friands by using one 12 hole mini muffin tin and one small 12 hole bouchon pan.
Whisk the egg whites for a few seconds until just frothy.
Add the butter, almond meal, powdered sugar and flour and stir with a wooden spoon to combine well. Pour into the prepared molds or pans, filling each hole to just two-thirds full.
Place two or three raspberries on top of each friand and bake for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and tops are lightly golden brown. Working quickly, remove friands from the pans immediately. Once they have cooled even slightly, they will stick to the pan terribly.
Dust the friands with powdered sugar and serve warm, with extra fresh raspberries if you like.
Makes 18 standard size friands.