Ridiculously Easy Almond Croissants
If you've got 20 minutes, that's all it takes (hands-on time) to put together these Ridiculously Easy Almond Croissants. They look like they came from a fine French patisserie and they're ridiculously delicious too!
Ingredients
For the almond cream (frangipane) :
- 3 tablespoons very soft butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
For the croissants:
- 17.25- ounce package of purchased puff pastry (2 sheets)
For finishing:
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- powdered sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
For the prep:
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Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a 13x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
For the frangipane (almond cream)
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Combine the butter and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Whisk together well. Add the egg and extracts. Whisk again until smooth.
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Add the almond flour and stir to combine. Add the all-purposeflour and stir again until smooth.
For the egg wash:
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Combine egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Stir vigorously with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
For the croissants:
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Unfold thawed (but still cold) puff pastry on a work surface. With a dough cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into 3 equal-size rectangles (see picture above in the post). Cut each rectangle into 2 long triangles.
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Place all of the triangles with the long end, facing you. Cut a small slit at the wide end of each triangle (this will make it easier to roll up pretty-shaped croissants).
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Scoop 2 teaspoons of frangipane onto each triangle. Spread the frangipane over the surface of each triangle.
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Add one tablespoon of milk to the leftover frangipane and set aside.
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Starting at the wide end, roll the dough into croissants, spreading the dough apart a bit at the wide end as you start to roll.
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Repeat this process with the other sheet of puff pastry, then place all of the croissants onto the prepared sheet pan, spacing 1½ inches apart.
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Brush each croissant with the egg wash, lightly but covering all of the exposed surfaces.
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Place in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the diluted frangipane. Sprinkle each croissant with a scant tablespoon of sliced almonds. Return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes or until medium golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the croissants to cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Put on your French bakers hat and serve warm or at room temperature. Bon Appétit!
Recipe Notes
Frangipane recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats