Ingredients

• Cooking oil spray, to grease
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
• 185g Nuttelex dairy-free margarine, melted
• 100g (1 cup) almond meal
• 75g (1/2 cup) gluten-free plain flour
• 6 egg whites, lightly whisked
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

Orange syrup

• 1 orange
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 160ml (2/3 cup) fresh orange juice
• 80ml (1/3 cup) water

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Spray twelve 80ml (1/3-cup) capacity muffin pans with cooking spray to lightly grease.
• Step 2 Place icing sugar, margarine, almond meal, flour, egg whites and orange rind in a bowl and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture among the prepared pans. Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside in the pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool slightly.

• Step 3 Meanwhile, to make the orange syrup, use a zester to remove the rind from the orange. (Alternatively, use a vegetable peeler to peel the rind from the orange. Use a small sharp knife to remove the pith from the rind and cut the rind into very thin strips.) Stir the orange zest, sugar, orange juice and water in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.
• Step 4 Place the orange & almond friands on serving plates and drizzle with warm orange syrup to serve.