Croissant aux amandes
Bakery lore has it that this pastry was born as a way to sell yesterday's croissants, and there is no point making it with fresh ones — they are too soft and go soggy in the syrup. A day-old croissant is dry and absorbent, which is exactly why it works. The construction has three layers: syrup inside, frangipane inside and on top, almonds outside. The result is moister and richer than the original.
Your own work in that: 15 min.
- Syrup 10 min
- Frangipane 10 min
- Assembly 15 min
- Baking 20 min
Step by step
0 / 7 doneBoil the syrup and cool it
Bring the sugar and water to the boil and cook for 2 minutes until dissolved. Take off the heat, stir in the rum and vanilla and cool to lukewarm — about 10 minutes. Hot syrup softens the pastry too much and the croissant falls apart easily.
Ingredients: 100 g sugar · 100 ml water · 2 tbsp rum · 1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat the frangipane
Cream the soft butter with the sugar for 4 minutes until pale. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the ground almonds, flour, almond extract and salt. The cream should be smooth, the consistency of a thick spread.
Ingredients: 100 g ground almonds · 100 g butter · 100 g sugar · 2 pcs eggs · 15 g plain flour · ½ tsp almond extract · 1 pinch salt
Split the croissants
Cut each croissant lengthways, not all the way through, so it opens like a book. Cut right through, it will fall into two halves under the weight of frangipane and almonds.
Ingredients: 6 pcs croissants · 80 g flaked almonds · 30 g icing sugar
Dip the cut faces in syrup
Dip both cut faces in the syrup for a second and turn them over the bowl. A second is enough: croissant pastry is laminated and absorbs instantly, and soaked through it bakes wet and heavy.
Ingredients: 100 g sugar · 100 ml water · 2 tbsp rum · 1 tsp vanilla extract
A second a side — soaked through it bakes heavy.Spread frangipane inside
Heat the oven to 180°C (conventional). Spread about 2 tablespoons of frangipane inside each croissant (roughly two thirds of the cream for all of them) and close it. The cream rises as it bakes — added too generously it escapes at the sides and burns on the tray.
Ingredients: 100 g ground almonds · 100 g butter · 100 g sugar · 2 pcs eggs · 15 g plain flour · ½ tsp almond extract · 1 pinch salt
Two spoonfuls inside — more escapes at the sides.Add frangipane on top and almonds
Place the croissants on a lined baking tray. Spread the rest of the cream thinly over the tops and press on the flaked almonds. The cream outside is not decoration — it holds the almonds, which would otherwise slide off the smooth surface of the croissant.
Ingredients: 6 pcs croissants · 80 g flaked almonds · 30 g icing sugar
Almonds pressed into the cream — alone they slide off.Bake and dust with icing sugar
Bake 18–20 minutes at 180°C, until the almonds turn golden and the frangipane sets and puffs slightly. Cool 10 minutes and dust with icing sugar. Straight from the oven the cream inside is very soft and the croissant breaks easily.
Ingredients: 6 pcs croissants · 80 g flaked almonds · 30 g icing sugar
Before you start
Fresh croissants will not work
Not a compromise but a condition. A fresh croissant has moist, elastic layers that turn to sponge in syrup. A day-old one is dry and absorbs a controlled amount — if you only have fresh, leave them out uncovered overnight.
Frangipane in advance
Almond cream (made with raw eggs) keeps 3–4 days in the fridge and up to three months frozen. Use it for Bakewell tart, galette des rois, croissants and stuffed peaches — worth making a double batch at once.
Eat them the day they are baked
Croissant aux amandes is at its best within a few hours of baking, once the frangipane has set and while the almonds still crunch. The next day it softens — 5 minutes at 170°C brings back most of the crispness.
