Description
Silky, buttery almond croissant filling (frangipane) that transforms ordinary croissants into bakery-quality French pastries in just 15 minutes. This versatile almond cream works perfectly in croissants, Danish pastries, tarts, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100 g) almond flour, finely ground (or almond meal for more texture)
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour (can substitute with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar (or cane sugar)
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (salted butter works—just omit the pinch of salt)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure extract recommended)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional but highly recommended (boosts almond flavor significantly)
- Pinch of salt (about ⅛ teaspoon)
- 1–2 teaspoons rum or brandy, optional (adds sophisticated aroma and depth)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and pale in color—this should take about 2–3 minutes. The mixture should nearly double in volume and look creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure everything incorporates evenly. Proper creaming creates air pockets that make your filling light and tender when baked.
Add the room-temperature egg and continue beating on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute. The mixture may look slightly curdled at first—this is normal. Mix in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using), beating just until combined. If you’re using rum or brandy for extra aroma, add it now and beat for another 10–15 seconds. The filling should look glossy and well-combined at this stage.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and pinch of salt until evenly combined with no clumps. This ensures even distribution of the salt and prevents pockets of flour in your finished filling. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two additions, stirring with a spatula or mixing on low speed just until smooth and homogenous. Don’t overmix—stir just until you no longer see dry flour streaks. The mixture should be thick, creamy, and spreadable, similar to thick frosting or softened peanut butter.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the filling to an airtight container and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes. Chilling makes the filling easier to pipe or spread without it running everywhere, and it improves the texture and helps the flavors meld together. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this step, but chilled filling is much easier to work with and gives slightly better results when baked. The filling will firm up as it chills but should still be spreadable—if it gets too hard, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before using.
Notes
- Temperature Trick: All ingredients (butter, egg) should be at room temperature for smooth emulsification; cold ingredients can cause curdling or separation
- Flavor Boost Hack: Add ¼ teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest to the wet ingredients for a subtle citrus note that brightens the almond flavor
- No Mixer? No Problem: You can make this by hand with a wooden spoon and some vigorous stirring—it just takes an extra 2–3 minutes of elbow grease
- Piping Bag Alternative: Spoon the filling into a zip-top bag, snip off one corner, and you’ve got an instant piping bag for neat, controlled filling
- Double Batch Winner: This filling freezes beautifully—double the recipe, freeze half in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and thaw overnight in the fridge when needed
- Avoid Overmixing: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined—overmixing develops gluten and makes the filling tough when baked
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: Chill Time: 15–30 minutes (optional)
- Category: Brunch
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 25 mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3.5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg