(recette en français tout en bas)
This cream is a wonderful base for fruit tarts called Almond cream or Crème d’amandes. It is a French basic pastry recipe; a competitor of crème pâtissière or pastry cream.
When I want to make a quick tart I usually cheat and use apple sauce. I pre-cook the crust with sprinkled brown sugar on top, then I spread the sauce and throw the apples or pears…
When I want a comfort food, rich, posh tart, I make almond cream using this very simple almond cream recipe.
It is raw and needs to be cooked on the pastry crust. If you are using fruits which need to be cooked, pre-cook the crust, add the almond cream, then the fruit and bake. If the fruits need to remain raw (strawberries) pre-cook crust with cream until completely cooked and golden, add fruits when completely cold. Almond cream is better used the same day it is made (kept on the bench, not in the fridge). It is easier to spread. If you need to make it in advance or if using left-over cream from the fridge, put 20 sec in the microwave and stir. Try this cream with apricot, cherry, strawberry, roasted pineapple, apple, pear, peach, etc.
The great thing with this recipe is: I use one food-processor bowl placed on a scale. No little bowl to weigh the ingredients… 1 bowl to clean :)
Here I am using my Magimix Cook Expert. You can use any food processor but if you are not using a thermo machine, you need to use “creamed butter”. It means put your butter in the microwave for 30 sec and then whisk until you get a custard consistency.
You can use crystallised sugar and pulverise it in the food processor. You can use icing sugar instead. Then all the ingredients go in the bowl and a bit of heat is added to very gently smoothen the butter.
The texture must be creamy and thick.
Now you can use this cream on the fruit tarts or pies of your creation. This is my last one :) It is a simple pear tart. I made this crust HERE (simply add a tbs of sugar) and pre-cooked it at 190°C (375°F), spread almond cream (1 whole serve) and place the pear slices. Cooked it for 30 mins at 190° (375°F). I should probably have done 180°C(355°F), I don’t like when tarts are a bit too “caramelised”. It was truly delicious.
- 100g (3.5oz) butter, cubed
- 100g (3.5oz) sugar
- 10g (0.35oz) corn flour
- 100g almond meal
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla paste (optional)
- 1 cap rum
- Tip sugar in food-processor (such as Magimix Cook Expert) choose the Expert mode, 45 sec, speed 18, no temperature. Or use icing/confectionery sugar.
- Add all remaining ingredients. Expert mode 30 sec, speed 3, 37°C (100°F).
- Scrape down, add 30 sec, speed 3, 37°C (100°F).
- Pour in a small bowl, ready to use.
And in French too :)
Et en français :
CRÈME D’AMANDES
Cette crème est une base fantastique pour les tartes aux fruits. Elle est crue et doit donc être cuite sur la pâte à tarte. Si vous utilisez des fruits qui doivent être cuits sur la tarte, précuisez la pâte, ajoutez ensuite la crème d’amande puis les fruits et cuisez le tout. Si vous voulez utiliser des fruits gardés crus comme les fraises ou fruits déjà cuits (en boîte, ou figues rôties) précuisez la pâte avec la crème d’amande jusqu’à ce que le tout soit bien cuit (30 à 40 minutes), ajoutez les fruits lorsque la base est bien froide. Vous pouvez dans ce dernier cas ajouter de la crème fouettée, ou de la crème pâtissière sous les fruits. La crème d’amande est facile à étaler quand elle vient d’être faite, et quelques heures après. Si vous la mettez au frigidaire, il faudra la passer 30 sec au micro-onde.
Essayez cette crème avec de l’abricot, des cerises, des fraises, de l’ananas rôti au rhum, de la pomme ou poire, de la pêche, etc. J’ai utilisé mon Magimix Cook Expert mais vous pouvez utiliser n’importe quel robot. Si votre robot n’est pas “thermo” alors il faudra du beurre en crème. Mettez votre beurre au micro-onde 20/30 sec et battez-le pour obtenir une pommade.
100g de beurre, en cube
100g de sucre
10g de Maïzena™
100g de poudre d’amandes
2 oeufs
1/2 cuillère à café de pâte ou extrait de vanille (optionnel)
1 bouchon de rhum
Versez le sucre dans la cuve en métal du Magimix Cook Expert. En mode Expert sélectionnez 45 sec, vitesse 18, pas de température. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser du sucre glace.
Ajoutez les ingrédients restants. En mode Expert sélectionnez 30 sec, vitesse 3, 37°C.
Avec une spatule, repoussez les ingrédients vers le bas de la cuve. Ajoutez 30 sec, vitesse 3, 37°C.
Videz dans un bol en attendant de l’utiliser.
You had me at rum :) I can imagine using this amazing cream in so many desserts. Tres bien :)
Hahahaha! I love rum too Belinda :) It put it everywhere. This time it’s not me, it’s the traditional way to do it. Let me know if you make something with it. I’d love to see it!
I never thought to use apple sauce! You have lots of fun ideas Flo :)
Hi Lorraine :)
Thank you for your kind comment. The apple sauce trick is really easy and great. I buy the yoghurt looking little apple sauce pots of the baby apple sauce jars.
If you make a pear tart, use pear puree, it’s a delight.
x
Flo
I always love almond cream or frangipane as I call it. I have never seen it made with cornflour. very interesting Flo!
Hi Tania,
This is a recipe that is a bit different from what we call in French frangipane where there is no corn flour. The most famous French dessert with frangipane is the cake of the kings, galette des rois, which is eaten on the day of Epiphany in honour of the 3 wise kings. The baker or the cook would hide a little porcelain figure called a fève and as kids, one of us would hide under the table. When our mother cut each slice, the hidden kid would tell her who to give the slice to. The one who got the fève would get a golden paper crown and kiss a chosen girl to be his queen. (or kiss a boy to be his king).
This recipe here is really a “crème” which is used as a layer in a complicated cake or a base for tarts.
I can eat it raw… it’s an addiction ;)
I enjoy your blog very much. Thank you for your visit :)