You won't believe how easy it is to make homemade frangipane (almond filling) and how well it complements fruit tarts, pastries, and desserts. It has only 5 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! It keeps in the refrigerator for at least a week and can be frozen.
French almond filling
This is a fantastic French recipe for frangipane, also known as almond cream filling. It's creamy and made with almonds, sugar, butter, and eggs. It can include some flour and other flavorings.
It's quite easy to make and looks sophisticated in fruit tarts and pastries like this strawberry Danish braid or almond croissant.
Depending on the final mixture you want, you can make it by hand or in the food processor, as the texture will be smoother or coarser. You can use whole almonds or almond flour.
The nerdy comment is that it goes back to 16th-century France and is named after an Italian nobleman named Frangipani. He was living in France and had invented a scent made from almonds that bakers of that time used for flavoring when they invented this almond cream.
FAQ
Though both are made with almonds and sugar, they are pretty different.
Frangipane, or almond cream, is a creamy mixture. It can be coarser or smoother depending on how it is processed. It contains butter and egg.
Marzipan, also called almond paste, is made with almonds and sugar and has added honey, egg whites or some syrup, like fructose, to help it come together and form a semi-solid paste. It is more of a confection and is mainly used to mold fruits, animals, or other figures, especially during the holiday season.
The texture is thick and creamy but spreadable. It can also be rustic if you use whole almonds with skin and don't process it too much, or it can be smoother if you use blanched almonds (without the skin) and process the mixture longer. The latter will also give a lighter-colored almond cream.
Step-by-step VIDEO
How to use frangipane
It must be consumed baked as it contains raw eggs. It puffs as it bakes, adding a creamy, wonderful layer of texture and flavor.
- In fruit tarts (sometimes called frangipane tarts): is a traditional way of using it, with the most classic being the French pear tart, similar to our new favorite almond apple tart.
Stone fruit like peaches, apricots, plums, nectarines and cherries are also wonderful with this cream. It can be used with almost any fruit since almonds pair well with most. - It's an exceptional filling for pastries like croissants, pithiviers (a puff pastry tart), our beloved Strawberry Almond Danish Braid), rolls, galette des Roi (an Easter puff pastry cake), and other yeasted bread such as babkas. Bakewell tart is another very famous recipe that calls for this almond cream.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Almonds: I use whole nonpareil almonds, which are easy to get and great if I want to remove the skins, but you can get fancy and buy Marcona or any other you prefer. This recipe calls for ground almonds, so whether they are broken doesn't matter.
- Unsalted butter: quality butter makes a difference.
- Sugar: regular, white sugar works fine. It will be processed, so even the not-so-fine one works well.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- All-purpose flour or cake flour.
- Flavorings (optional): I add a few drops of vanilla extract and pure almond extract. They intensify the overall flavor, but they might not work for you. You can also add some almond liquor like Amaretto. Try with a small amount and see how it goes.
Almonds to use
Frangipane uses almonds, any type you like is fine.
- Ground almonds: if using a food processor, you can start with whole nuts and process them together with the rest of the ingredients. This is the way to go if you want a coarser frangipane mixture.
- Almond flour or almond meal: if making it by hand, you'll have to use already ground almonds. They can be labeled as flour (very finely ground) or meal that can be a little coarser, but basically the same thing. Use it if you want a smoother almond cream. Image below
Steps to make frangipane
- Food processor: It's the perfect small appliance to make this almond cream. I'm not talking about immersion blenders, which can be used for certain recipes. You can buy a good food processor online or in the appliance section of department stores and some supermarkets.
- By hand: I recently added this method because not everyone has (or wants to have) a food processor. It's explained in the recipe card towards the end of this post.
Almonds + sugar
Put whole almonds and sugar in the food processor bowl.
Pulse until coarsely grounded. You don't need to finely grind the almonds at this point, though you can.
Final mixture
After adding the butter and egg, the almond mixture is creamy but rustic, with bits of almond. It's spreadable but mounds well on a spoon.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Frangipane can be smoother or coarser, depending on how the almonds are ground. Your food processor might not finely grind the almonds, so if you want the result to be creamier without larger pieces of nuts, use almond flour.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Food processor: it is essential for making the cream. This recipe doesn't yield much, so a regular-sized one works well. If you want to make the recipe double or triple, ensure your processor is large enough.
- Almonds: use any type you like. They will be processed so you can use broken ones. Use them with skin or blanched (click for the video tutorial on how to skin almonds)
- Almond meal or flour: you can start directly with almond flour, the same volume, ⅞ of a cup (or scant 1 cup).
- Mixture: I like it to be rustic or coarse because I like the almond crunch. But you can process it more, especially the first part with the sugar, to achieve a smoother frangipane. Some recipes call for a teaspoon or two of corn syrup, or sometimes an extra egg yolk, to make it smoother and richer.
- Flavorings: I add some pure almond extract, which is not part of the original recipe. The same goes for vanilla extract; a few drops might work for you, but I don't use it. You can also add some liquor like Amaretto to give it a boost.
- Storing: It keeps well for at least a week in the refrigerator in an airtight container or very well covered with plastic wrap. It can be frozen for a month. Defrost in the refrigerator.
- Variations: I sometimes use walnuts and make walnut cream. Most nuts work well as substitutions for almonds.
Frangipane recipes:
So, now that we have homemade almond cream, what do we use it for? As mentioned above, fruit tarts and pastry filling are the most common ways to use this recipe.
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Almond Cream Filling (frangipane recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole almonds, or almond flour, see notes below
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
In the food processor:
- Put 1 cup whole almonds and ⅔ cup sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until almonds are in coarse pieces.
- Add ½ cup unsalted butter in pieces and 1 egg. Process until it all becomes a cream.
- Add 2 teaspoons flour, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and/or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, if using, and process just to mix.
By hand (using almond flour):
- Combine ⅔ cup sugar and 1 cup almond flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Add soft ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 egg and whisk energetically until well integrated and creamy. Add 2 teaspoons flour, ¼ teaspoon almond extract and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract if using, and mix until well combined.
For both options:
- Transfer to an airtight container or bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a few weeks or freeze for up to a month.
Cathy says
I have made this a few times to use in tarts with stone fruits. For my friends who cannot eat gluten, I use a prepared gluten-free crust. Fortunately, the frangipane makes even the gluten-free crust taste special, and my friends are most appreciative.
Csilla says
Love this recipe. Made it in a puff pastry. It turned out perfect
Tania says
Hi Paula
It looks so easy and yummy.
I woukd like to make this recipe.
I want to ask you can I add some slice almonds and bake them like cookies.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Tania! This is a cream or spread to use with tarts or as a filling. It’s not meant to stand on its own. There are amaretti cookies in the blog that might be what you want.
PJ says
Thank you! The perfect recipe for what I am wanting to make...and could not find a recipe for....Almond Babka...and so I will use your filling...Perfect!
Rachel says
Do you think using sliced almonds would be ok? Would save me a trip to the store!
Paula Montenegro says
Yes Rachel, you can use them!
Rosa says
Hi Paula, I love this recipe I wonder if I can use it in Macaroons, do you have good recipe for macaroons? Thank you, Rosa
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rosa, I don't have a recipe for macarons. But there are many if in Google and youtube.
Mamia says
Hi Paula for the excellent write-up. I found your explanation about the difference between frangipane and marzipan clear and helpful. Thank you.
In our family, as a binder for the marzipan, we traditionally use orange blossom water (my favourite) or brandy. The almond essence is almost a must.
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks Mamia! Orange blossom water is used here for panettone bread, but I never thought of using it for frangipane. It's a genius idea. Have a great holiday week.
Eliane says
I use this recipe for your lemon almond pound cake, it works so well!
I also like to make a king cake with this, just use a box of frozen puff pastry and this frangipane (sometimes I use a dash of orange extract along with the vanilla and almond when making it this way), make a few slit on the top crust, use an egg wash and a sprinkling of turbinado sugar and bake for 45min. So easy and delicious!
Paula Montenegro says
I had the intention of posting my king cake this year for carnival but it's still on the list. I like a lot the idea of using puff pastry. It sounds amazing. Thanks for your comments Eliane!
Madalina says
Hello! Can it be used as a cream filling without baking? Thanks!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Madalina! I don't recommend it as it has raw eggs. It's meant to be baked. Have a great week.
Gabby says
Can I bake this alone and use it as cake filling?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Gabby, it's not meant to be baked alone but used as a base layer for fruit tarts or a filling for croissants, etc.
Dee says
Hi, I just wanted to ask, if I was to fill croissants with this, is it safe as it’s not cooked and there is raw egg?
Thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Dee! It's usually used baked. If you mean almond croissants, they are filled and then baked. If you plan on eating raw frangipane, make sure you're eggs are super fresh. Frankly, I never eat it other than after it's baked. Hope this helps.
Amy says
I just made this and realized I need to cook it somehow, or temper the eggs somehow, as I'm using it as one of the layers between a bakewell inspired cake, so it will not be baked. Can I just put it on the stove top to a certain temperature and then let it cool?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Amy, I always bake it, but maybe you can temper or 'cook' it in a water bath. It has to reach 140°F and stay at that temperature 3-4 minutes for the eggs to be pasteurized.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Amy, I always bake it, but you might try cooking it in a double boiler or at a very low temperature until the egg whites are pasteurized. For that, they have to reach 140°F for 3-4 minutes.
Margaret says
I used to make the frangipane as I made the tart - it's good to have it ready made in the 'fridge - thanks for the idea
Paula Montenegro says
Thank you, Margaret!
Ana says
I never thought that frangipane would be this easy to make. My husband and I prefer desserts that are not too sweet, so I used a scant cup of sugar rather than the one cup plus two Tbsps called for in the recipe. It was just right (for us, at least). If you refrigerate to use later, I would suggest to take it out of the refrigerator about an hour before you intend to use it. That way, it'll be softer and easier to spread.
I made a frangipane apple tart and the combination of flavors was delightful. Highly recommend this recipe as a base for fruit tarts.
Paula Montenegro says
I agree Ana, it's easy and can be used with so many tarts and pastries. Happy you liked it!
Denise says
it was my first time doing this sweet and it was sooo yummy . i reduced the sugar to 100g .
thank you for sharing it
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you liked it!
Marissa says
I'm so excited to try this, Paula! We have a bakery in town that fills their croissants with this and it's my absolute weakness!
Paula Montenegro says
Ahh, almond croissants! They are a trip to frangipane heaven!
Traci says
So glad I found this recipe. Who knew it was so easy too?! Thanks for sharing 🙂
SHANIKA says
This Almond Cream looks so good! It definitely looks perfect as a filling for pastries!
Emily says
Thanks so much for all the helpful tips and ways to use this, I can't wait to give it a go myself!
Morgan Eisenberg says
I'm on a huge almond kick right now...frangipane, orgeat. This is perfect timing!
Lucy Parissi says
How fantastic to have a recipe just for frangipane. It can add so much to a dish - can't wait to start creating some awesome dsesserts with this.