- 6 egg whites
- 185g butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (75g) hazelnut meal
- 1/4 cup (35g) roasted shelled pistachios, chopped coarsely 1 1/2 cups (240g) icing sugar mixture
- 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
- 2 tsp rosewater
- 1/3 cup (50g) roasted shelled pistachios, extra
- TOFFEE SHARDS
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
- 1 1/3 cups (300g) caster sugar
Rosewater is an extract made from crushed rose petals, called gulab in India. It’s used in many sweets and desserts for its aromatic quality.
Preheat oven to moderately hot. Grease eight 1/2-cup (125ml) oval or rectangular friand pans; stand on oven tray.
Place egg whites in medium bowl; whisk lightly with fork until combined. Add butter, hazelnut meal, pistachios, sugar, flour and rosewater; using wooden spoon, stir until just combined.
Pour mixture equally among prepared pans; top with extra nuts. Bake in moderately hot oven about 30 minutes. Stand friands 5 minutes; turn, top-side up, onto wire rack. Serve friands warm or at room temperature with toffee shards and thick cream, if desired.
Toffee Shards Using wooden spoon, stir ingredients in small saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, about 10 minutes or until toffee is golden brown. Remove from heat; allow bubbles to subside. Pour hot toffee onto lightly oiled oven tray; do not scrape the toffee from pan, or it might crystallise. Allow toffee to set at room temperature; break into shards with hands.
