Tea is sort of my thing, a kind of Jungian response to my first initial, I suppose. I try not to get carried away (so often) with buying tea paraphernalia and I’m also trying to work my way through the loose tea that I have before I buy any more. One of my favourite methods of avoiding these impulses is to go out for tea, whether it’s a formal high tea or an afternoon break at a local tea shop. I can enjoy the cups, pots, and teas without bringing more home to fill my already jam-packed cupboards. What I don’t do often enough is have people over for tea. Cakes and sandwiches are as fun to make as to eat and I certainly have enough pots and cups to accommodate a respectable gathering.
I have a few recipes that would fit right in and now I have one more. These delicate coconut cakes are perfect for tea. Friands are usually made with ground nuts, but in this recipe, shredded coconut is used, instead. This is an easy recipe, as long as you have a light hand with the whisk. I had only sweetened coconut on hand, so I reduced the sugar by two-thirds and it seemed to work just as well. Dorie suggests putting a bit of fresh or candied fruit in the centre, but I decided to put a small square of chocolate in each. I love coconut and chocolate together. Next time, I might try a tropical fruit like mango or papaya – I wonder if passionfruit seeds would work? They’d certainly look pretty.
The cakes were both light and dense at once, a property of the coconut, I think. The chocolate worked nicely and neither flavour overwhelmed the other. There’s only a small quantity of flour, so I think they could easily be converted to gluten-free, too. Once the weather gets warmer, these might find themselves on the menu for a garden party or two.
You can find many other blogged descriptions of this week’s FFWD recipe here: Coconut Friands
One Wet Foot 
Chocolate is a great idea…probably the best. Lots of very pretty cookies and just as pretty tea cups. Your friands look perfect…lovely post.
Thanks, Krissy! The cups are my mother’s and i loved being able to pick out a few from her large collection. Perhaps I get my tea paraphernalia inclinations from her…
And that should be a capital I…
Teresa, I am also a tea aficionado! I am always buying little tea accessories! My favorite tea comes from your neck of the woods. I mail order King Cole…I love that tea!
Your friands are look perfect! Such a really beautiful presentation! Have a great weekend!
I guess this is almost, kind of, like having a virtual tea party by sharing it online!
I would be absolutely blown away to be served tea (or friands) in those beautiful tea cups you have! They are gorgeous!
Your friands & tea cups are lovely. Such a beautiful collection!
I love that you used chocolate in the center of these. I also think it was clever of you to reduce the sugar, you must be an experienced baker. Your photos (and your tea cups) are exquisite
I tried chocolate in a few as well, and loved them. Your cups are beautiful!
I’m not a big fan of tea, but with such beautiful tea cups I could be converted. The friands
look adorable in the display. Lovely presentation.
a perfect tea party! the cups and little cakes are beautiful, and I just learned that friands are the Aussie/New Zealand cousins to French financiers! thanks for a beautiful lesson!
Oh my, chocolate is a wonderful idea! And wouldn’t it be fun to have a real FFWD tea party?
Hi – I am finally back in the saddle this week with FFWD. I always miss it when I’m absent. I too used chocolate 🙂 And some lime zest. I love the tropical idea though – been thinking about that ever since I returned from Hawaii last week where I enjoyed the lychee, rambutan, and dragon’s eye – all variations of that wonderfully unique tropical fruit flavor that we just can’t replicate with our traditional fruit here.
Your tea cup photos are lovely. Beautiful post Teresa!
I love, love your teacups and saucers, Teresa! What a lovely presentation and perfect for these little tea cakes. I really want to put some chocolate in my next batch and also pineapple in some as well (as seen in a few of the other posts).
Beautiful – the tea cups and the friands! Glad to know these are good with a bit of chocolate, something I thought of while eating mine.
I am a tea person too. I love how you presented these tiny cakes in the tea cups. It looks so fun. I skipped making this one myself this week, but I’m enjoying checking out everyone’s pretty friands.
From one T to another…these look fantastic and I love your collection of accessories. I didn’t make these (no big surprise these days) but instead will have to live vicariously though your cyber tea party here. Good job!
I feel about hot chocolate the way you feel about tea. My pantry is overloaded, and it’s kind of ridiculous since we only have hot chocolate weather about two weeks out of the year in South Texas! I love your tea cups!
I’m a tea addict, too, and these were such a lovely accompaniment! I wish I would have put a wee bit of chocolate in mine…great idea!