Lime Friands

A french almond based cake, usually quite dense however my technique is slightly different and I use flaked almonds and ground them in a food processor just before making the batter. This makes for a moist and lighter end result. I find the pre-ground almonds at supermarkets are too finely ground and dries out.
Also this mixture will make around 24 friands and the batter will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

600g flaked almonds
300g caster sugar
250g good quality salted butter
10 egg whites
100ml buttermilk
2 limes
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

ICING:
300g cream cheese
2 limes
150g sugar

METHOD:
First melt butter then leave to cool at room temperature. Place flaked almonds in a food processor and blend for around 2 minutes till finely ground, put almonds in a large mixing bowl. Add to the bowl sugar, baking powder, soda and cinnamon and stir together till evenly combined.
Zest limes and add zest to the dry, in a separate bowl juice limes and add buttermilk, egg whites and vanilla and beat together. Pour wet mixture into the dry and add melted butter and stir together till evenly incorporated.
Grease your friand pan with butter or oil spray and spoon in friand mixture till 3/4 full and place in pre-heated oven set at 180oC cook for 25minutes.
To make icing zest limes using a zester and keep skin peeling to one side for later. Juice limes into a small sauce pan and add sugar then place over a high heat and boil for about 5 minutes till you have a syrup and remove from heat. Put the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and  beat till fluffy then slowly pour in 3/4 of the lime syrup while still stirring cream cheese, mix together till evenly combined.
Once friands have cooked and cooled for around 20 minutes turn out from the pan and leave to cool for another 10 minutes. Using 2 tablespoons quenelle cream cheese icing and place on top of each of the friands. Using a teaspoon place a small amount of reserve lime syrup on top of the friands and finally garnish with a few strips of the lime zest.