Ingredients

Method

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 pears
• 2/3 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup sifted icing sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 egg whites
• 75 g butter, melted
• Small paper cookie cups

Method

Ingredients

Make the pears well in advance. Make a syrup with the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Thinly slice unpeeled pears (don’t remove the stalks or pips) and add to syrup a few at a time, for about two minutes.

Turn the slices half way. Remove the slices from the simmering syrup and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Dry at 120ºC for approximately 2 hours (turn them halfway through cooking) until crisp.

To make the friands: Mix the ground almonds, icing sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Lightly beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined.

Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Fill paper cups 2/3 with mixture and bake at 180ºC for 15 minutes. Once cooled lightly dust with icing sugar.

Make an incision into the friands with a knife. Insert the crisp pear slices.