The Almond Crescents Recipe Butter, sugar, and ground almonds are combined here to make a delicious filling for these light and flaky, crescent-shaped Danish pastries. The pastry can be prepared the night before, ready for rolling.
Ingredients:
1 quantity danish pastry dough,
1 large egg, beaten, for glazing
confectioner’s sugar, to serve
For almond paste
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1⁄3 cup sugar
3⁄4 cup ground almonds
Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll half the dough out on a floured surface to a 12in (30cm) square.
2 Trim the edges and cut out 9 x 4in (10cm) squares. Repeat with the remaining dough. Beat the butter and sugar until creamed, then beat in the ground almonds until smooth.
3 Divide the almond paste into 18 small balls. Roll them into sausage shapes a little shorter than the length of the squares.
4 Place a roll of the almond paste at one edge of the square, leaving a gap of 3⁄4in (2cm) between it and the edge. Press it down.
5 Brush the clear edge with egg and fold the pastry over the paste, pressing it down. Use a knife to make 4 cuts into the folded edge to within 1⁄2–3⁄4in (11⁄2–2cm) of the sealed edge.
6 Transfer to lined baking sheets, cover, and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until puffed. Bend the edges in. 4 Brush with egg and bake in the top third of the oven for 15–20 minutes, until golden brown. Cool.
7 Dust confectioner’s sugar over to serve. STORE The pastries will keep in an airtight container for 2 days.
BAKER’S TIP:
Danish pastry recipes often call for the butter to be rolled out between pieces of parchment paper—or bashed with a rolling pin to render it pliable. This takes a lot of time. Use sliced chilled butter instead, for a fuss-free result.
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| Almond Crescents |