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Home » Food Stories » French Fridays with Dorie: Lime-Scented Coconut Friands with Chocolate Drizzle

French Fridays with Dorie: Lime-Scented Coconut Friands with Chocolate Drizzle

by Beth Lee · Published: Apr 21, 2012 · Modified: Oct 24, 2019

As you've come to expect, my Saturday edition of French Fridays with Dorie...Yes, it's "friands" - not a misspelling of "friends". But these little pastries will surely become your best buddies once you taste them.

yellow and green limes on a yellow plate with shredded coconut.

They are a French pastry, explains Dorie in Around My French Table, closely related to "financiers". Financiers are a nut-based pastry created in Paris for busy financial business people on the run. The friand is a close relative but uses unsweetened coconut, rather than the ground nuts. Don't worry, I didn't know what financiers or friands were either. See what you can learn if you buy Dorie's book?

And my inspiration for the lime addition? Well it came from the coconut - you know the old Harry Nilsson song: You put de lime in de coconut, drink 'em all up. It was Harry Nilsson's second hit single - a catchy calypso tune that even Kermit the Frog found a reason to perform. I figure if it was a good enough combo for a hit song, it might catch on in a baked good too.

And the chocolate - do I have to justify adding chocolate? I didnt think so.

Lime zest and sugar in a white bowl.

Friands are so simple to make with just a few ingredients - egg whites, unsweetened coconut (some used sweetened and just cut down on the sugar), sugar, flour, vanilla extract, salt, and butter. I added the zest of one lime to the sugar, rubbing it in using the same technique I described in these Orange Thyme Cocktail Cookies. And lastly, I made a quick chocolate ganache to drizzle on top. And happily, the batter can be made ahead and left in the fridge for up to 3 days - a huge check in the plus column for me.

3 friands on a plate with shredded coconut and a slice of lime.

So what did I think of these lovely little coconut pastries? At first bite, the butter seemed a bit overpowering. I can see why Dorie suggests a variation with a bite of fresh fruit added such as a raspberry. It would counteract the richness. I also cooked them a little longer than the 17 - 20 minutes called for, adding a little extra browning and crispness. Once I topped them with a dollop of bittersweet chocolate and a sprinkling of toasted coconut, unsweetened coconut and a bit of lime zest, their loveliness started shining through. One other note, I should have used the zest of two limes with the sugar - the zest of one wasn't a strong enough essence for the batter.

Ah, but @gregorytlee, a coconut lover, just gave them the thumbs up. They won't last long... Stop by soon if you want a taste!

Buy my cookbook now!

As always, I learned much from her recipe and playing along with this wonderful group. To read more renditions of this recipe, check out the French Fridays with Dorie web site and buy Dorie Greenspan’s award-winning cookbook Around My French Table. You will cherish the purchase and learn from each recipe and story that she shares.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. raisingivy

    April 23, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Have mercy! Just arrived and will be dreaming of these beauties tonight! Tuesday is my grocery day, however, so I can do something about it tomorrow.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 24, 2012 at 8:15 am

      Thanks for stopping over! Hope you had a great SITS day yesterday!

      Reply
  2. Mardi (@eatlivtravwrite)

    April 23, 2012 at 3:07 am

    Oh yes, lime sounds like a great idea in these. I didn't do anything other than the lain version because I didn't know what they would turn out like but I can see a whole host of possibilities for these with all sorts of fruit. Yum!

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 23, 2012 at 10:23 am

      I agree - even something tropical might be so lovely.

      Reply
  3. Sandy

    April 22, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    I'm so glad you used the chocolate, I wanted to do that but we gobbled these down too quickly ! Very nice addition of the lime too.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 23, 2012 at 10:22 am

      Thanks Sandy! These were gone by Saturday night at our house too 🙂

      Reply
  4. Carol Sacks

    April 22, 2012 at 11:49 am

    Beth, these looks so delicate and lovely. Nice post!

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 12:34 pm

      Thanks Carol - what a lovely dessert spread we could prepare with your angel food cake, strawberry rhubarb preserves and these little gems ...

      Reply
  5. Nana

    April 22, 2012 at 5:36 am

    Your friands look great with the chocolate and coconut on top. I also like the idea of
    adding the lime. I simple recipe, but you made yours look so special.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 9:12 am

      Thanks Nana - just loved your post this time with the story of the plate at the end. Lovely!

      Reply
  6. betsy

    April 21, 2012 at 7:08 pm

    LOL! I loved that Harry Nilsson song. Now I've got it stuck in my head... I didn't actually make the friands because i don't like shredded coconut. Financiers would have been much better for me, but I'll wait until they are the official choice. However, your friands look delciious.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 9:11 am

      Thanks Betsy! I'm only a coconut liker, not lover but my son LOVES the white stuff. So these were a hit around here. And I must say, the test kept improving as the hours passed.

      Reply
  7. lizthechef

    April 21, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    Love the lime! I think I have OD'ed on Meyer lemons for a bit...

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 9:10 am

      My limes start looking like lemons as they ripen, which I find a little odd. But I still haven't tired of Meyers after 18 years straight of using them 🙂 Thanks for stopping by Liz!

      Reply
  8. Cher

    April 21, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Lime always add such a nice presence & they look very charming with the chocolate sitting on top.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 9:09 am

      Thanks Cher! Chocolate is always a welcome add in our house 🙂

      Reply
  9. Teresa

    April 21, 2012 at 11:11 am

    Lovely idea to rub lime zest into the sugar - lime, coconut, and chocolate sound wonderful together.

    Reply
    • omgyummy

      April 22, 2012 at 9:07 am

      Thanks Teresa - it was fun to experiment a bit. They actually improved in flavor after a few hours, I thought.

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Beth Lee. In 2010, I realized I prefer pita chips to memory chips and started this blog. My family is a mix of Jewish/Hawaiian/Korean heritage and my food reflects our diversity. My virtual kitchen is always open. Let’s cook together!  See all my recipes...

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