Frangipane
Almond cream, for tarts and galettes
Almond cream, and technically the classical version is two thirds crème d'amande to one third pastry cream — which is what makes it lighter than plain almond filling. It bakes with the tart rather than being added after.
Under a galette or a pear tart, it absorbs the fruit juices that would otherwise make the pastry soggy.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Crème Pâtissière (see Crème Pâtissière), optional
- 1 tablespoon dark rum or almond extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Do not over-aerate — too much air makes it puff and then sink in the oven.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. If it looks split, add a spoonful of the ground almonds.
- Fold in the ground almonds, flour and salt.
- Fold in the pastry cream if using, and the rum.
- Spread in a blind-baked tart shell, arrange fruit on top, and bake at 350°F until set and golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Notes
- Everything at room temperature, or the mixture splits.
- Without the pastry cream this is crème d'amande, which is denser and perfectly good.
- The raw mixture keeps 3 days refrigerated and freezes a month.