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An Australian cousin to France’s financier, this friand by famed San Francisco chef Melissa Perello has a classic oval shape that requires a special pan, but you can easily substitute a muffin pan. For easy prep, make the batter up to a day in advance, store it, covered, in the fridge, and pop it straight into the greased pans and then into the oven.

Servings 10 cakes

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 3⁄4 cups fresh or frozen uncooked white corn kernels
  • 1 2⁄3 cups sugar
  • 7 egg whites
  • 3⁄4 cup Cup4Cup or other gluten-free flour mix plus more for dusting
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup white cornmeal
  • 1 1⁄2 cups crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1⁄2 vanilla bean seeds scraped out (save the pod for another use)
  • 2 pints blackberries
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon water. Add the corn and cook until tender, covering with a lid to steam for a few minutes if necessary. Remove the corn from the pan, drain, and cool to room temperature.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 9 tablespoons of butter. Reserve.
  3. In a mixing bowl combine the sugar and egg whites. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and gently mix to combine. Stir in the melted butter. Fold in cornmeal, and then the cooked corn.
  4. Grease and flour the baking molds or muffin tins and fill each one about three-quarters of the way up the sides.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F, or until golden and a paring knife inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean. In a mixing bowl, combine the crème fraîche and cream and whip to soft peaks. Reserve, chilled.
  6. In a small saucepan combine the honey with 2 tablespoons water and the vanilla bean seeds, bring to a boil, and add a third of the berries. Cook for a few minutes until the berries just start to burst. Add the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes, then add the remaining berries.
  7. Serve the cakes warm with a spoonful of berries and a dollop of cream.