Almond Croissants/ Earl-Grey Almond Croissants

My original sourdough croissants with a 'just sweet enough' filling. I make my own almond filling, but I use store-bought canned almond pastry filling and a few short ingredients to make these croissants really soar. In this recipe I am focusing on the filling and some techniques/ tips in order to get a sweet, flaky, bakery-quality pastries at home!

An almond croissant is my favorite Sunday morning gift (to myself). I daydream about the floral notes and the gooey frangipane in the middle. A flaky and doughy croissant is tricky, but I linked my recipe and instructions below! Using sourdough starter as the leavening agent allows the gluten more time to develop and flavors to build. The croissant is so buttery and nutty by nature, and with the the sourdough starter in the pastry dough it adds that deep complex sour/bready flavor.

Almond fillings are found in so many desserts and pastries, and for great reasons. It's a slightly floral, sweet and light nutty-flavored filling. It pairs well with so many things and to add a few short ingredients, we've got a diverse almond filling. Almond pastry filling from the grocery store (SOLO brand found at Walmart) is a great base for making our almond croissant filling. I use what I need and put it in a container in the fridge for later use!

Pin This Recipe!

Croissant Recipe

Almond Pastry Filling:

2/3 cup almond pastry filling (Solo Brand for example)
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup AP flour *if too wet, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In a medium- sized bowl, using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer and the whisk attachment, combine your almond filling, egg, sugar, and vanilla. Take your bowl off the mixer and add your flour. Fold in with a rubber spatula. The consistency should be that of a dough ball, it should be moldable. Wrap your almond pastry filling in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 hours before using.

When ready to use, cut small strips of the filling and lay onto your strips of laminated croissant dough before rolling them, proofing and baking.

There will be excess filling. On a floured counter roll out small strips and set them over the top of your egg-washed croissants before baking. Bake right over the top to give it a sweet and crackly topping. Top with powdered sugar when fully cooled.

Earl Grey Variation

Earl Grey Tea is my favorite fusion creation for desserts. I don't know who first did it, but I hope you have a VERY good day iykwim. Earl grey tea is also very floral and aromatic, it has earthy notes and blooms with milk and sugar. I immediately thought of a London Fog and how I want a crispy croissant and a cozy bookstore all in one recipe.

Ingredients:

2 bags of Earl Grey tea
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar

Steep 2 bags of Earl Grey tea in whole milk and add the sugar. In a saucepan warm up the milk to about 100°F. Let it come up to a simmer and turn it off. Set it aside and let it sit on the counter after being warmed up for 30 minutes and then transfer it to the refrigerator to steep for another 2 hours. The longer it steeps in the milk and sugar, the brighter and bolder the Earl Grey flavor will be.

**I then use this Earl Grey-infused sweet milk, to make our Earl Grey/Almond filled croissants.

For the Earl Grey/ Almond Filling

1/2 cup almond pastry filling (Solo Brand for example)
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup Earl Grey Milk
1 1/3 cup AP flour *if too wet, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

**Follow the same instructions for the almond filling!