Almond Croissants

Before you start

Almond croissants were born as a way for bakeries to use yesterday's croissants. The slightly stale pastries are split, brushed with a flavored sugar syrup, filled with frangipane (almond cream), topped with more frangipane and sliced almonds, and baked a second time. The syrup soaks into the crumb and the almond cream bakes into a soft, cake-like center, while the outside recrisps.

Day-old croissants work better than fresh ones because they absorb the syrup without collapsing. The balance to watch is moisture: brush enough syrup to make the inside tender, not so much that the base turns soggy. Bake until the almond cream on top is set and golden and the frangipane inside has cooked through.

Ingredients

• Syrup100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 100 g (scant ½ cup) water
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1 tbsp dark rum (optional)
• Frangipane60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter — soft
• 60 g (5 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 1 large (about 50 g) egg — room temperature
• 60 g (⅔ cup) almond flour
• 10 g (1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 1 pinch fine salt
• Assembly6 day-old croissants — homemade or bakery, about 60–70 g each
• 30 g (⅓ cup) sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar — for dusting

Method

1. Bring the sugar, water and orange zest to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat, add the rum if using and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Remove the zest.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line the baking sheet with parchment.
3. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg until smooth, then mix in the almond flour, all-purpose flour, almond extract and salt. The frangipane should be thick and spreadable, about 240 g.
4. Split each croissant horizontally with the serrated knife, leaving one long side attached like a hinge. Open them and brush the cut sides generously with syrup until moist but not dripping, about 1 tablespoon per croissant.
5. Spread about 20 g frangipane inside each croissant and close it. Spread a thin layer of the remaining frangipane over the top and press sliced almonds onto it.
6. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the almonds and the topping are deep golden, the topping feels set when touched and the croissant is crisp underneath. Tent with foil for the last few minutes if the almonds darken too quickly.
7. Cool on the sheet for 15 minutes; the filling is very hot and firms as it cools. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Tips for success

• Croissants that are two or three days old are fine here. Very dry ones can take an extra teaspoon of syrup each.
• Leftover frangipane keeps for a few days in the refrigerator; bring it to room temperature so it spreads easily.
• Set the croissants slightly apart. Frangipane spreads a little as it bakes and can glue them together.

Substitutions

Dark rum

Use 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ tsp orange flower water. The syrup tastes less complex but is alcohol-free.

Almond flour

Finely ground hazelnuts or pistachios make an equally rich filling with a different flavor; pistachio gives a pretty green center.

Day-old croissants

Fresh croissants can be used if you dry them in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 8 minutes and let them cool first, so they absorb syrup without going soggy.

Variations

Raspberry almond croissants

Spread 1 tsp raspberry jam inside each croissant before the frangipane.

Chocolate almond croissants

Use day-old pain au chocolat instead of plain croissants, or add a few chocolate chips with the frangipane.

Troubleshooting

Soggy, heavy bottoms

Too much syrup or the croissants were very fresh. Brush less syrup, especially on the bottom half, and bake until the base is crisp.

Filling still wet in the middle

The croissants were thick or not baked long enough. Bake until the topping is set and golden, and use no more than 20 g frangipane inside.

Almonds burned before the filling set

The rack was too high or the oven runs hot. Bake on the middle rack and tent loosely with foil once the almonds are golden.

Storage

Best eaten on the day they are baked. Store cooled almond croissants in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, since the filling contains egg. Rewarm at 175°C (350°F) for 5 to 7 minutes.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw frangipane; it contains raw egg and flour. Bake until the filling is set. Contains tree nuts (almonds), wheat, egg and milk.