Almond Croissant
Makes 6
6 day-old croissants Flaked almonds Icing sugar
ALMOND FRANGIPANE
200g butter, at room temperature 200g caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
200g natural almond meal
SUGAR SYRUP
220g caster sugar 2 tbsp kirsch
Twice-baked delight
At Lune, the concept of the almond croissant has inspired literally hundreds of different twice-baked croissants. – Kate Reid
To make almond frangipane
Beat the butter, sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat beater until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, continuing to beat and waiting until each one is incorporated fully before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl after incorporating the first egg. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the almond meal. Once again, scrape the bowl down well, giving it a final mix by hand (with a spatula) to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer the frangipane into a piping bag fitted with a size 11 star nozzle.
To make sugar syrup
Place 500g water and sugar in a small saucepan and stir over a medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved, then bring the syrup to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add the kirsch.
Assembling and baking
Preheat your oven to 200° (180°C fan forced) and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
“I NEARLY CRIED THE FIRST TIME I TRIED THE ‘LUNE’ ALMOND CROISSANT – A HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE!” NIGELLA LAWSON
Using a large serrated knife (a bread knife will work best), cut the croissants in half. Brush the cut side of both halves of each croissant generously with the sugar syrup. Pipe a healthy wiggle of frangipane on the bottom half of each croissant then replace the top halves, cupping your hand and gently securing each top. Finish off each croissant by piping a seam of frangipane across the top, then garnish with flaked almonds, pinching as many almonds as you can together and pressing them into the frangipane, along the entire length of the seam. (Practice makes perfect! – Kate Reid).
Place the prepared croissants on the lined baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the frangipane inside is set. Check this by carefully lifting the lid of one of the croissants with a fork and checking the ‘doneness’ of the frangipane. If it still looks like cake batter, it is not yet ready. Bake for a few more minutes and check again.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, dust the almond croissants with icing sugar and serve.