Simply translated. The Almond Pastry.
I was in a bind one afternoon. I had been asked to whip up a quick morning tea snack but didn't have time to run to the shops. Plus I'm pretty sure someone had let a hoard of gremlins free to raid my kitchen of anything above a pantry staple!
Damn it Gizmo!
Not cool man...
So, what does the girl who's short on both time and ingredients whip up?
Individual almond croissants of course!
These little treats and perfect for any morning tea, afternoon snack or whenever you have a craving for something light and sweet.
Take a simple frangipane mix (a staple in any chef's repertoire!) and some good quality pastry and you have a winner right there people.
Whats more, you can make it a labour of love by creating a croissant dough from scratch (not recommended for those with an aversion to butter...) or, if your stretched for time like I was, you can simply use a good quality, store-bought puff pastry. You won't get the same hand-crafted, blood-sweat-and-tear-infused flavour but it will still taste delicious!
Individual Almond Croissant
La pate d'amande
4 sheets of good-quality puff pastry (or equivalent of fresh croissant dough)
125g ground almond meal
125g icing sugar (plus extra for decorating)
125g softened butter, plus extra for brushing
25g plain flour
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup flaked almonds
* As a side note you could also add some liquor (like Frangelico or Grand Marnier would work well!) or another extra flavouring like lemon zest , vanilla etc. to give these more of a flavour kick!
Using a sharp knife, cut your pastry into triangles and gently stretch it so that it becomes longer (think 'upsidedown icecream cone' shaped). Cover your pastry to stop it drying out while you make the frangipane filling.
To make the filling, blend the icing sugar and almond meal in a food processor until very fine and combined. Set aside.
In an electric mixer beat the butter until smooth and pale and then add the almond/sugar mixture and continue to beat until it becomes pale and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and yolk then gradually add to the butter mixture while continuously beating
When the mixture is smooth and creamy, spread small amounts onto your triangles (try not to go right to the edges or it will just squish out when you roll them) and roll the pastry into a croissant shape by starting at the base (it should be the shortest side of your triangle) and rolling towards the tip. Gently bend the edges inwards so your have a crescent moon shape.
Place your pastries on lines baking trays and brush then with a little melted butter. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake at 180 C (fan forced) for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is a light golden colour.
Allow the croissants to cool and then dust with extra icing sugar and serve!
Bon Appetit!
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