Frangipane is a classic French pastry filling made by folding pastry cream (crème pâtissière) into almond cream made with almond flour or ground almonds for a more rustic texture. It is the traditional filling used for the famous galette des rois. Frangipane must always be baked, as it contains raw eggs.
In French baking, frangipane is the most commonly used filling for the galette des rois, so much so that it is often simply called galette frangipane. It is appreciated for its smooth texture, creaminess, and lightness once baked.
However, some people remain faithful to the more traditional version made with almond cream only.
Frangipane is sometimes confused with almond cream, even though the two fillings offer different textures and results. At home, we enjoy both versions equally. During January and the Epiphany season, I usually make several galettes, some filled with frangipane and others with almond cream, depending on the occasion.
If, like me, you truly love the flavor of almonds, you can use raw, unpeeled ground almonds and add a small amount of bitter almond extract to enhance the taste.
Beyond galettes, frangipane can also be used in fruit tarts, homemade brioches, apple turnovers, croissants, and many other pastries.
Table of Contents
What Is Frangipane?
Frangipane is a traditional French cream filling made from a combination of almond cream and pastry cream (french crème pâtissière). Almond cream is prepared with 4 ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and almond flour or ground almonds, generally used in equal amounts.
Optionally, a small amount of cornstarch can be added, and for flavoring, rum or bitter almond extract can be used to enhance the almond taste.
Pastry cream is a French custard called crème pâtissière, cooked over heat until it thickens to a smooth, creamy consistency, similar to mayonnaise. When these two creams are gently mixed together, they form frangipane. The filled pastry is then baked in the oven, which fully cooks the cream and gives frangipane its soft, creamy texture.
Tips for Perfect Frangipane Cream
Use soft butter: Use butter at room temperature, soft but not melted, so it creams easily and results in a smooth, well blended almond cream.
Avoid overwhisking: Avoid overwhisking the almond cream, as incorporating too much air can cause the frangipane to puff up during baking. Combine it with the pastry cream and mix just until smooth.
Choose quality almonds: Choose good quality almond flour or ground almonds for the best flavor. For a more rustic texture, raw ground almonds work especially well.
Flavor lightly: Flavor sparingly. A small amount of rum, vanilla, or bitter almond extract is enough to enhance the almond taste without overpowering it.
Chill if needed: Chill the frangipane briefly if needed. A short rest in the refrigerator helps firm it slightly and makes it easier to pipe or spread. You can also prepare the frangipane the day before without any issue, even if you don’t freeze it.
Freeze for easier assembly: You can pipe the frangipane cream into a ring and freeze it before using it to fill a galette des rois. This makes handling the puff pastry much easier.
Ingredients:
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
For filling a 24 cm (9.5 inches) galette des rois, for exemple
For the pastry cream
- 125 ml (4.4 oz) milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 25 g (0.9 oz ) granulated sugar
- 1/2 vanilla pod or vanilla extract
- 15 g (0.5 oz ) cornstarch
For the almond cream
75 g (2.6 oz ) powdered sugar
75 g (2.6 oz ) unsalted butter, softened
75 g (2.6 oz ) almond flour
75 g (2.6 oz ) egg weighed without the shell
5 g (0.18 oz ) cornstarch (optional)
15 g (0.5 oz ) rum (optional) or a teaspoon of bitter almond or vanilla extract
How to Make Frangipane
Pastry cream
1. Whisk the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns pale.
2. Add the cornstarch and mix.
3. Bring the milk to a boil with the seeds from the half vanilla pod and the pod itself.
4. Pour the hot milk through a strainer over the egg mixture.
5. Stir everything together and return to the saucepan.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
7. Transfer to a dish and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface.
8. Refrigerate for about an hour. It must be cold before incorporating it into the almond cream.
Almond cream
1. Cream the softened butter with the sugar until it becomes a smooth cream. You can do this in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
2. Add the egg and almond flour, alternating between them, a little bit of egg and then a little bit of almond flour, until both are incorporated.
3. Stir between each addition without whisking. You should obtain a smooth cream.
Almond cream
Frangipane cream
1. Smooth the pastry cream and add it to the almond cream. Mix to obtain a smooth, homogenous texture.
2. Fill a piping bag and refrigerate to firm it up a bit.
If you want to use it to fill a galette des rois, pipe it into a 20 cm (8 inches) tart ring. The ring should be placed on cling film. Pipe it in a spiral shape
3. Freeze before assembling the galette des rois. This method makes it easier to assemble your galette des rois.
Frangipane Almond Cream Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- For filling a 24 cm (9.5 inches) galette des rois, for exemple
For the pastry cream
- 125 ml milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 25 g granulated sugar
- 1/2 vanilla pod or vanilla extract
- 15 g cornstarch
For the almond cream
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 75 g soft butter
- 75 g almond flour
- 75 g egg weighed without the shell
- 5 g cornstarch (optional)
- 15 g rum (optional) or a teaspoon of bitter almond or vanilla extract
PREPARATION
Pastry cream
- Whisk the egg yolk with the sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns pale.
- Add the cornstarch and mix.
- Bring the milk to a boil with the seeds from the half vanilla pod and the pod itself.
- Pour the hot milk through a strainer over the egg mixture.
- Stir everything together and return to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Transfer to a dish and cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the surface.
- Refrigerate for about an hour. It must be cold before incorporating it into the almond cream.
Almond cream
- Cream the softened butter with the sugar until it becomes a smooth cream. You can do this in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add the egg and almond flour, alternating between them, a little bit of egg and then a little bit of almond flour, until both are incorporated.
- Stir between each addition without whisking. You should obtain a smooth cream.
Frangipane cream
- Smooth the pastry cream and add it to the almond cream. Mix to obtain a smooth, homogenous texture.
- Fill a piping bag and refrigerate to firm it up a bit.
- If you want to use it to fill a galette des rois, pipe it into a 20 cm (8 inches) tart ring. The ring should be placed on cling film. Pipe it in a spiral shape
- Freeze before assembling the galette des rois. This method makes it easier to assemble your galette des rois.
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