Croissants aux Amandes de la Boulangerie
Croissants aux Amandes de la Boulangerie·(krwa-sahn oh ah-mahnd duh lah boo-lahn-zhuh-ree)
Le Matin: The Uncomplicated French Morning
There is a persistent, romanticized myth that French mothers wake up at dawn to laminate croissant dough. Let's dispel that right now. Real French home cooking is fundamentally practical and deeply opposed to waste. The beloved almond croissant you see in Parisian bakery windows wasn't invented as a luxury pastry; it was a brilliant trick to rescue yesterday’s unsold bread. You want the slightly dry, mass-produced croissants from your local supermarket bakery. Soaked in a light syrup and baked with a quick, one-bowl almond cream, they transform into a rich, custard-like marvel with a crisp shell of toasted almonds. Simple, smart, and exactly what it tastes like in France.
Before you start
Stale the croissants a day or two in advance.
Leave your store-bought croissants out on the counter, uncovered, for at least 24 hours until they feel dry and firm to the touch.
Ingredients
- stale croissants6 large
- water1 cup
- granulated sugar2 tbsp
- dark rum1 tbsp
- unsalted butter7 tbsp
- granulated sugar1/2 cup
- almond flour1 cup
- cornstarch1 tbsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- eggs2 large
- sliced almonds1/2 cup
- powdered sugar1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Simmer the simple syrup and add the rum.
In a small saucepan, combine the water and the two tablespoons of sugar. Heat over medium just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the dark rum, and let it cool. This syrup rehydrates the stale pastry so it doesn't burn in the oven.
- 02
Mash the softened butter and sugar into a smooth paste.
Use a wooden spoon or spatula in a medium bowl. Stir in the almond flour, cornstarch, and salt, then incorporate the eggs one at a time until the cream is rich and homogeneous. Do not whisk or beat air into this; you want a dense paste, not a fluffy cake batter.
- 03
Soak the open croissants with syrup and fill with almond cream.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously dab the cut insides of both croissant halves with the cooled syrup. Spread about two tablespoons of the almond cream evenly across the bottom half, then replace the top.
- 04
Top with the remaining almond cream and sliced almonds.
Brush the top of each closed croissant with a little more syrup. Spread a thin layer of almond cream over the top to act as glue, then press the sliced almonds gently into the cream so they stick.
- 05
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until toasted and caramelized.
Watch them closely at the end. The almonds should be beautifully golden, and any cream that seeped out the sides should form crispy, caramelized edges. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes so the custard sets, then dust heavily with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Do not use fresh croissants.
The entire structural integrity of this recipe relies on the bread being stale. Fresh croissants will collapse into a soggy, unpalatable mess when soaked in the syrup.
Substituting the dark rum.
The rum bakes off and leaves a deep, woody complexity, but you can swap it for one teaspoon of vanilla extract or a splash of orange blossom water if preferred.
From Cook French in America.