Frangipane Recipe (Almond Cream)

You won't believe how easy it is to make homemade frangipane and how well it complements fruit tarts and pastries. It only has 4 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! You can also flavor it according to what you use it for.

This is a very French recipe for frangipane, also known as almond cream or almond cream filling.

Traditionally it is used in fruit tarts, the classic being pear tart, but also stone fruit - such as peach, apricot, plums, nectarines, cherries - and sometimes berries such as raspberries or strawberries. In my opinion, it can be used with almost any fruit since almonds pair well with most of them.

It puffs as it bakes and adds a creamy and wonderful layer of texture and flavor.

It's an exceptional filling for pastries (such as our beloved Strawberry Almond Danish Braid), rolls (Graham Cracker Skillet Rolls), and other yeasted bread such as babkas. Bakewell tart is a very well known recipe that calls for frangipane.

Ingredients

The list of ingredients is short and pantry staples most of them (image below).

• Almonds: I use whole nonpareil which are easy to get and great if I want to remove the skins, but you can buy fancy like Marcona or any other you prefer. They will be ground, so pay no attention if they are broken.
• Butter: unsalted is what we use for this recipe. A 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: I use fresh, grade A.
• Flavorings (optional): I add a few drops of vanilla and pure almond extract, but it is not part of the original recipe. I like that it intensifies the flavor, but it might not work for you. You can also add some liquor like Amaretto.

Origin of frangipane

It goes back to 17th 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 to flavor when they invented this almond cream.

Easy steps

The food processor is the perfect small appliance to make this almond cream.

Almond mix

Put almonds and sugar in the bowl of the processor.
Process until almonds are broken and very coarse. You can process them longer at this point. But take into account that they will be processed again with the rest of the ingredients.

Binding ingredients

Add room temperature butter pieces and the egg.
Process until you have a paste and make sure you clean the sides with a spatula so that everything is well mixed.

The final mixture is thick, creamy, buttery, and has bits of almonds. It is spreadable but mounds well on a spoon.

From there I went on to make almond cream (frangipane) from almond paste (marzipan) by adding butter, egg, and more almonds. It is explained in the post for the most amazing Lemon Almond Bundt Cake.

I used to make almond paste on my own years ago because the one I could buy was too artificial for my taste.

My expert tips

• Food processor: it is essential for making the cream. This recipe is not large so a regular-sized one works well.
• 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, that is ⅞ of a cup (or scant 1 cup).
• Mixture: I like it to be on the rustic or coarse side because I like the almond crunch. But you can process it more, especially the first part with the sugar, to achieve a smoother frangipane.
• Flavorings: I add some pure almond extract, but it is not part of the original recipe. The same with vanilla extract, a few drops might work for you. I don't use it. You can also add some liquor like Amaretto.
• Storing: it keeps well for a week at least in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. It can be frozen for a few weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator.
• Variations: I use walnuts sometimes and make walnut cream. Most nuts work well as a substitution for almonds.

Frequently asked questions

Uses in baking

So, now that we have our homemade almond cream, what do we use it for?

As mentioned above, fruit tarts and pastry filling are one of the most common ways to use this recipe. Here are some links:

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe! I’d love to hear what you think about it. Thank you for being here, I appreciate it! Let’s connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

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Frangipane recipe (a.k.a. almond cream)

★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: Paula Montenegro
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 5
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: About 2 cups 1x
• Category: Basic recipes
• Method: Processing
• Cuisine: French

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Description

You won't believe how easy it is to make homemade frangipane and how amazing it is when used in fruit tarts and pastries. It only has 4 ingredients and comes together in less than 15 minutes! 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ⅞ cup (scant 1 cup) (125g) whole almonds (see notes below)
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (125g) white sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon each pure almond and vanilla extracts (optional, see notes below)

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Instructions

1. Put almonds and sugar in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Process until almonds are in coarse pieces.
3. Add butter in pieces and egg.
4. Process until it all becomes a cream.
5. Add almond extract if using and process to mix.
6. Transfer to a glass, ceramic or plastic container with a lid or cover it with plastic wrap.
7. Keep refrigerated for a few weeks or up to a month frozen.

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Notes

• Food processor: it is essential for making the cream. This recipe is not large so a regular-sized one works well.
• 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 flour: you can start directly with almond flour, the same volume, that is ⅞ of a cup (or scant 1 cup).
• Mixture: I like it to be on the rustic or coarse side because I like the almond crunch. But you can process it more, especially the first part with the sugar, to achieve a smoother frangipane.
• Flavorings: I add some pure almond extract, but it is not part of the original recipe. The same with vanilla extract, a few drops might work for you. I don't use it. You can also add some liquor like Amaretto.
• Storing: it keeps well for a week at least in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. It can be frozen for a few weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator.
• Variations: I use walnuts sometimes and make walnut cream. Most nuts work well as a substitution for almonds.

Keywords: frangipane, almond cream

Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.