february decadence

​I’m delighted to report that I was the recipient of the “Big Game Giveaway” by Alexian Pates. I won a set of beer car glasses and 4 packages of pâtés. The first package I opened was Truffle Mousse made with pork, turkey and chicken liver, sherry, truffles, wild mushrooms and spices. This delicious pâté was delightful on its own, served with cornichons and oil cured olives. I also served it atop a succulent New York strip steak for a decadent Valentine’s Day dinner. For breakfast one morning, I made two scrambled eggs for my husband with two patties formed from Alexian’s Duck Rillette. I have two other packages remaining,  Pheasant & Rosemary and Duck Liver Mousse with Cognac. I have a pamphlet with serving suggestions that I can’t wait to try. 

Speaking of decadent, what can be better than a warm, buttery almond croissant? One of the things I miss dearly during this pandemic are trips into Manhattan for theatre. We would start our afternoon with a stop at Maison Kayser on Columbus Circle. I would inevitably get an almond croissant as they were absolutely the best I ever tasted. Ones that come very close in New Jersey are from Délice Macarons in Cranford, NJ. My daughter recently purchased one for me that was still warm when I ate it; it was heavenly!
 
In doing a little internet search, I stumbled upon the recipe Ridiculously Easy Almond Croissants from the website www.thecafesucrefarine.com. The recipe uses store bought puff pastry with almond cream (frangipane) filling you make. For the croissant portion of the recipe, you’ll need one 17.25-ounce package of puffed pastry. To make the almond cream you’ll need butter, granulated sugar, an egg, both vanilla and almond extract, almond flour and all-purpose flour. To garnish the croissants, sliced almonds and powdered sugar. As this was my first attempt with this recipe, I substituted canned almond paste.
 
It was very easy to prepare the croissants. Chris, the blogger of this site, gives easy to follow instructions with pictures. I had the croissants formed in no time. They take approximately 20-22 to minutes to bake. After baking, it’s recommended you let the croissants cool for 10 minutes before eating. They were very, very good. Though not as large as ones from a bakery, but large enough. So, if you love almond croissants and love to bake, these little gems will fulfill your craving until you can get the authentic ones .
 
As this was my first attempt at this recipe, next time I will make the frangipane from scratch. Costco sells a 3-pound bag of almond flour for $12.99. You can always use any extra to make the Spanish Almond Cake that I posted back in December. 

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Ridiculously Easy Almond Croissants
From the website The Café Sucre Farine,  August 1, 2020
 
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total time: 40 Minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 327 kcal
 
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:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a 13x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.

 
For the frangipane (almond cream)

1. Combine the butter and sugar in a medium-size bowl. Whisk together well. Add the egg and extracts. Whisk again until smooth.
2. Add the almond flour and stir to combine. Add the all-purpose flour and stir again until smooth.

 
For the egg wash:

1. Combine egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Stir vigorously with a fork until well combined. Set aside.

 
For the croissants:

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. Scoop 2 teaspoons of frangipane onto each triangle. Spread the frangipane over the surface of each triangle.
4. Add one tablespoon of milk to the leftover frangipane and set aside.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Brush each croissant with the egg wash, lightly but covering all of the exposed surfaces.
8. 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.
9. 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!

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