Croissants aux Amandes

Everyday, I frequent my local boulangerie for my daily fix of pain aux cafe. It is a ritual that Baby Bee and I make right after Mr. Bee leaves home for the office. Although Baby Bee prefers plain croissant, I prefer mine made with almonds. And because I love them so much, one day I made them myself. Ce'st Magnifique!

4 day-old croissants, each of them about 80g
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Confectioner's sugar

For the syrup:
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons light rum (optional)

For the crème d'amandes:
1/2 C sugar
2/3 C whole blanched almonds, or 1 C almond powder
pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter, diced
2 eggs


Prepare the syrup: combine 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons sugar and the rum (if using) in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, and simmer for a minute, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, transfer into a shallow soup plate, and let cool completely.

Prepare the almond filling: combine 1/2 cup sugar, the almonds and the salt in the bowl of a food processor, and mix until finely ground. Add the butter, and mix again until well blended. Add in the eggs one by one, and process until creamy.
Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Work with each croissant one by one: dip it into the syrup, coating both sides and the ends well -- the croissant should be quite moist. Slice horizontally like you would for a sandwich, and place on the cookie sheet. Spread the inside with about two tablespoons almond filling, and place the top back on. Spread the top with another tablespoon almond filling, and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Repeat with the other croissants*

Put into the oven to bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the almond cream is set and golden. Transfer onto a cooling rack, dust with confectioner's sugar, and serve, slightly warm or at room temperature. They will keep for a day.

*Depending on the size and shape of the croissants you used, you may have a bit of almond cream leftover: you can make small drop cookies with it afterwards, and bake them on parchment paper for about 8 minutes at 180° C (350° F).