What is frangipane and why do bakers love it so much? (2024)
Ever wondered what makes an almond croissant so wonderful, or some fruit tarts so magically delicious? The secret is frangipane.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Wildly versatile, aromatic, and rich, frangipane is one of the best (and easiest!) recipes in a baker’s repertoire. To make it, softened butter, eggs, sugar, almond flour, a bit of all-purpose flour, and almond extract (or emulsion) are beaten together into a golden, spreadable paste. It takes all of five minutes to make, which is good news because there are so many wonderful ways to use it that you may find yourself wanting to make it all the time.
How to bake with frangipane
Because it contains raw egg and flour, frangipane is always baked before eating. It has a tendency to spread because of its high ratio of fat, so it’s typically used in applications where that’s limited, such as in a filling or topping. Frangipane is often used as a layer in fruit tarts; it puffs and browns beautifully as it bakes, swaddling the fruit, and I’m hard-pressed to think of a single fruit that isn’tenhanced by the almondy-whisper of frangipane, from cherries and peaches to apples and pears.
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
Frangipane is also a key component in Bakewell Tart, where it teams up with jam as a filling between layers of pastry. And it’s imperative in Bostock, a breakfast pastry made by saturating slices of day-old brioche with sugar syrup, then slathering on frangipane and baking until golden. (Bostock are usually, though not always, topped with fruit; a showering of toasted slivered almonds and confectioners’ sugar are typically added as finishing touches.) And this Almond Galette (aka Galette des Rois), a traditional French dessert typically served on Epiphany, is made with puff pastry and an almond cream filling that’s similar to frangipane; if you have some frangipane handy you can use it instead.
Kristin Teig
For a frangipane-forward non-recipe, try spreading it in a thick layer on puff pastry, then adding whatever fruit you have lying around (sliced nectarines, halved apricots, pitted cherries, blueberries or raspberries, thinly sliced apples or pears) and baking until the pastry and frangipane are golden brown and the fruit is tender. Or make your own ersatz almond croissants by splitting day-old plain croissants (homemade or storebought), spreading them with frangipane, and baking them a second time until crisp.
Photography by Mark Weinberg; Food styling by Liz Neily
Should you be wondering, frangipane isn’t the same as marzipan, which is a denser, stiffer paste made primarily from almonds and sugar (no butter or eggs), that is often colored and formed into decorative shapes, and the two cannot be used interchangeably.
And while frangipane is typically made with ground almonds, it can be made with other ground nuts instead. Using pistachios will give you a verdant spread, while toasted and ground pecans yield a frangipane with a toffee-like flavor. Hazelnut frangipane pairs nicely with chocolate.
Frangipane keeps well, too: It will last a week in the refrigerator or up to two months frozen, so there’s no excuse for not always having some on hand, ready to dress up your next dessert.
Frangipane is a pastry filling made with finely ground almonds or almond meal. It is sometimes referred to as almond cream. And, being more or less like a pie filling, frangipane is never consumed raw because it contains raw eggs.
Frangipane is a mixture of butter, eggs, ground almonds, sugar, and usually a small amount of flour. It's hardly a delicate procedure; making frangipane is more like making a simple cookie batter.
The word frangipane is a French term used to name products with an almond flavour. The word comes ultimately from the last name of Marquis Muzio Frangipani or Cesare Frangipani. The word first denoted the frangipani plant, from which was produced the perfume originally said to flavor frangipane.
Frangipane Is A Creamy Filling With A Milder Flavor
While marzipan is similar to but distinct from almond paste, the same isn't true of frangipane and almond cream — they're one and the same. It involves ground almonds, just like marzipan, but that's where the similarities end.
You can store a pear frangipane tart at room temperature or in the fridge. Just note that if you refrigerate it, the crust will soften much quicker. I prefer to store it covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. It's possible to store the tart for a week, but the quality of the dessert diminishes as it softens.
Because it contains raw egg and flour, frangipane is always baked before eating. It has a tendency to spread because of its high ratio of fat, so it's typically used in applications where that's limited, such as in a filling or topping.
Frangipane is a simple custard, made in a food processor from nuts, butter, sugar, and eggs. The resulting gloop is slightly runnier than a paste but not so loose that it spills all over the place; you can easily spoon and spread it without making a mess.
Frangipane is a baked almond cream typically found in tarts, such as the famous Bakewell Tart (I even made a chocolate version for Halloween) or Galette des Rois.It also can be used for applications like croissant filling. If you love almond flavor, you'll love frangipane.
Frangipani trees are known for their resilience and ability to bloom even after they have been uprooted, symbolizing resilience and renewal. This characteristic is a metaphor for life's cyclical nature, reminding us that even in the face of challenges, new beginnings and growth are possible.
Also, we've recently discovered a very rare and unusual frangipani, Plumeria cubensis, that actually remains bushier than all the “other evergreen frangipani species” throughout the winter.
Frangipane is fairly forgiving but like most things it does have a perfect point. It should rise in the oven and form a golden brown crust, with a just set centre. The main cause of undercooked frangipane is baking at too high a heat. The crust will brown too quickly, leaving a soggy centre.
Frangipane is an almond filling that is usually made with butter, sugar, eggs, and, of course, ground almonds. It has a creamy, paste-like consistency and a sweet nutty flavor. Though it can be used in a variety of ways, it's most associated with tarts.
As long as it has risen and browned slowly, you are near the end of the cooking time. How do you know when frangipane is cooked? The cream will have risen and puffed when properly cooked.It should have a nice golden color.
Tips: Frangipane is a classic dessert filling made with ground almonds which help to keep it moist when baked. The filling should be soft and have a damp crumb texture, more like a set custard than a fluffy sponge.
Their purposes and textures, however, are very different, making them unable to be substituted with one another. While marzipan is a thick and sweet icing dough, frangipane is a creamy and lightly-sweetened filling.
The tart shell of the Frangipani is always almond flavored by either using almond flour, ground or chopped almonds or using almond paste which is actually marzipan. It usually has a jelly-lined bottom tart shell and can be any flavor.
Frangipane [fʁɑ̃ʒipan] is a filling made of almond cream mixed with crème pâtissière, invented in 1746 in Italy, and named after Frangipani (first name unknown), parfumier of French King Louis XIII, who invented bitter almond based perfume.
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