Recipe: Parisian Croissants, Small Almond Croissants, Cheese Croissants, Viennese Jam Croissants, Viennese Jam Croissants, and Creme Frangipane (Almond Custard)

Creme Frangipane / Almond Custard (recipe follows)

Parisian Croissants
Source: Larousse Gastronomique by Prosper Montagne

Blend 25 g (1 oz) fresh yeast (2 cakes compressed yeast) or 15 g (1/2 oz) dried yeast (3 teaspoons active dry yeast) with 250 ml (8 fl oz, 1 cup) lukewarm milk.

Put 500g (18 oz. 4 1/2 cups) plain (all- purpose) flour into a mixing bowl and add 65 g (2 1/2 oz, 1/3 cup) caster (superfine) sugar and 7 g (1/4 oz., 1 1/2 teaspoons) salt.

Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the mixture of milk and yeast into the centre. Mix quickly with the fingertips and. as soon as the liquid is completely absorbed by the flour, cover the dough with a cloth and leave it to stand for 30-60 minutes depending on the room temperature.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle and dot with butter. Fold into three and repeat rolling, dotting with butter and folding twice more using 250 g (9 oz, 1 cup) softened butter. Allow the dough to stand for 30 minutes.

Then roll it out to a rectangle about 45 x 15 cm (18 x 6 in) and cut it into triangles. Roll up the triangles starting at the base and working towards the top. Place the croissants on a baking sheet, curving them into crescents. Allow them to rise further in a draught-free place for 15-45 minutes depending on the room temperature.

Brush with beaten egg yolk and bake in a preheated oven at 22OC (425 degrees F, gas 7) for about 10 minutes.

Small Almond Croissants
Pound together in a mortar 300 g (11 oz, 2 3/4 cups) whole shelled almonds and l50g (5 oz, 1/3 cup) vanilla-flavoured sugar, gradually moistening with sufficient egg white to obtain a paste that can be rolled in the hand. Add 2 tablespoons flour to the paste and divide it into pieces about the size of a walnut. Roll each piece with the hands into the shape of a cigar with slightly pointed ends (flour your palms if necessary). Dip each 'cigar' in beaten egg, roll in some flaked (slivered) almonds and shape into small croissants. Arrange them on sheets of greaseproof (wax) paper on baking sheets. Glaze with egg yolk and cook for about 12 minutes in a preheated oven at 200C (400 degrees F, gas 6) until they are golden brown. As soon as they are cooked, brush them with sweetened milk.

Cheese Croissants
Split some baked croissants on one side. Butter the inside and fill with thin slices of Gruyere or EmmentaI cheese. Sprinkle with pepper and heat through in a preheated oven at 240C (475 degrees F gas 9). Serve immediately. The butter and cheese may be replaced by a well-reduced bechamel sauce containing cheese.

Viennese Jam Croissants
Prepare 500 g (18 oz) dough as for Viennese croissants. Roll it out into a rectangle measuring 30 x 60 cm (12 x 24 in). Cut it lengthways into 2 strips and cut each strip into 6 triangles using a fluted pastry (cookie) cutter. Place 1 tablespoon sieved strawberry, raspberry or apricot jam at the base of each triangle and shape the croissant by rolling them up for the base to the top. Place the croissants on a buttered baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them, and brush with beaten egg. Cook in a preheated oven at 200C (400 degrees F, gas 6) for 18-20 minutes. When cooked, dust with icing (confectioner's) sugar.

Creme Frangipane (Almond Custard)
Source: Elisabeth Bouynot, 1999

This custard can be used in a number of pastries: put a big dollop of it on croissant dough before rolling the croissant, for instance.

125g almond meal
5g bitter almond meal, or 1 tsp bitter almond extract
4 eggs
125g butter (soft)
150g sugar
5g salt
Optional : 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 25mL kirsch brandy

Mix almond meal with 2 eggs, then add butter, salt and sugar, and mix until smooth. Stir in the last 2 eggs.

In France, it is commonly used for the Galette Frangipane:
With approx 500 g of puff pastry, roll two large circles, one an inch wider than the other. On the smaller circle, spread the almond custard, leaving a 1 inch band clear all around. Wet this band with water. Carefully put the 2nd pastry sheet to cover the first. Press firmly the edges to prevent leaks. Wisk an egg yolk with 2 or 3 tbsp water and brush this all over the top sheet of pastry. Bake in medium oven.

Another classic is Tarte Bourdaloue:
Pre-bake your favorite pie-pastry. Cut in halves and peel 3 to 6 pears (depending on the size of the pie). Put the pear halves flat face down on the pastry. Cover with almond custard and bake in medium oven until golden brown.