I as soon as labored at a French bakery the place the best-selling merchandise was our twice-baked almond croissant. We made them within the conventional manner—by filling day-old croissants with a drizzle of easy syrup and a scoop of aromatic almond cream, then baking them once more till they have been crisp. Utilizing day-old croissants is handy in additional methods than one: It provides new life to pastries that may in any other case be thrown away or bought at a hefty low cost, and since the marginally stale croissants are much less fragile, they’re a lot simpler to work with. Plus, the marginally stale pastry is healthier in a position to take in the wealthy, creamy filling with out changing into soggy. 

These pastries have been so standard folks would line up across the block in hopes of procuring one. On weekends, the demand was so nice that we regularly had no selection however to bake a whole bunch of additional recent croissants, allow them to stale for a number of hours, then flip them into much more almond croissants.

It’s been nearly 4 years since I left my job on the bakery, and the almond croissant is without doubt one of the pastries that I miss essentially the most. Since I don’t normally have the time or assets to make them myself at dwelling, I’ve began to make almond buns, that are basically a mash-up of twice-baked almond croissants and cinnamon rolls, my different favourite breakfast deal with. I swap out the croissants with a bread dough enriched with milk, butter, and eggs that I fill with candy almond cream and baked into mushy, pillowy rolls. It’s a neater strategy to fulfill my longing for an almond croissant—and although it isn’t fairly the identical, it’s simply as scrumptious. 

Key Methods for Making Scrumptious Almond Rolls 

My very best rolls are mild and lofty with an opulent, feathery crumb. Whereas most freshly baked cinnamon rolls begin out this fashion, it solely takes a couple of hours for them to lose their softness and change into arduous and barely dry. Utilizing a higher-hydration dough is one resolution, however a wetter dough might be tough to work with and tougher to form. After a lot trial and error, I got here up with a way for making rolls which are straightforward to form and keep fluffy and tender for longer: utilizing a tangzhong. That, plus a couple of different essential technical particulars, are the keys to success.

The Advantage of a Tangzhong

These rolls get their fluffy texture from tangzhong, a mix of flour and milk or water that’s whisked collectively and cooked on the range till a thick, stretchy paste types. This course of helps hydrate and gelatinize the starches within the flour, leading to moist bread that stays more energizing for longer. As Critical Eats contributor Andrew Janjigian touched on in his shokupan recipe, a gelled combination of flour and water is “drier in texture than an equivalent ungelled one,” which “permits you to make a dough with extra water in it than it may in any other case comprise” with out it changing into unworkably moist and sloppy.

The Significance of Thorough Kneading

Bakers and pastry cooks typically warning towards overworking doughs and batters, which may end up in powerful, chewy muffins and cookies. However some baked items, like these rolls, profit from an excellent knead, which organizes the gluten proteins glutenin and gliadin into a powerful, extensible community that helps the dough because it rises within the oven. 

Since this dough is mushy and sticky, I like to recommend utilizing a stand mixer to knead it, as trying to knead it along with your fingers and incorporating an excessive amount of flour may end up in powerful, dry rolls. You’ll wish to knead the dough till sufficient gluten has developed and it passes the windowpane check, which signifies the dough has developed sufficient elasticity: Pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough and, utilizing two fingers, slowly stretch it as thinly as attainable with out ripping it. Maintain the stretched dough as much as the sunshine, and for those who can see by means of it, the dough is prepared for its first rise. If not, proceed kneading till you’ll be able to stretch the dough thinly with out it tearing. 

Correct Proofing

Like many yeasted doughs, these rolls require two rises: the primary rise, additionally known as the majority fermentation, and the second rise, which is called the ultimate proof. As Critical Eats contributor Max Bernstein wrote in his information to breadmaking, bulk fermentation is when the yeast does most of its work—consuming sugars and producing carbon dioxide, ethanol, and different byproducts—that assist leaven the dough and deepen its taste. To make sure the dough is sufficiently proofed, let it rise at heat room temperature (75 to 80°F; 24 to 27°C) till it’s puffy and has doubled in dimension—the dough ought to spring again slowly when gently pressed with a finger. 

After shaping the dough into rolls and nestling it into the baking pan, you’ll go away the dough to rise as soon as extra. This offers the gluten an opportunity to chill out: Dough that hasn’t had time to relaxation will tear and deflate, as a substitute of stretching and increasing into mild, fluffy rolls. Throughout the last proof, the dough will proceed to provide carbon dioxide and rise, leading to mushy, ethereal rolls as soon as baked.

Make a Nice Almond Filling

At its most simple, almond cream (additionally known as creme d’amande) is made by beating softened butter, sugar, eggs, and floor almonds collectively till it resembles thick cake batter. My model, like many others, incorporates an fragrant mix of flavorings together with citrus zest, vanilla and almond extracts, and a splash of brandy.

Many individuals could name this combination “frangipane,” although that time period technically refers to almond cream that has been lightened with pastry cream. Almond cream can also be to not be confused with marzipan or almond paste, that are each comprised of various quantities of floor almonds, sugar, and egg whites, and comprise no butter. 

How you can Form the Almond Rolls

The dough might be sticky, so make sure to generously flour your work floor and rolling pin. To form the rolls, roll the dough right into a 10- by 14-inch rectangle about half an inch thick, then use an offset spatula to unfold a thick layer of almond cream evenly throughout it. It would really feel like rather a lot, however ensures that every chunk is full of daring almond taste. 

How you can Serve

Beginning with the lengthy finish, roll the dough into a decent log, then slide a strand of thread, unflavored dental floss, or butcher’s twine underneath the dough then cross the ends excessive and pull tight to slice the dough into seven parts. (This can be a intelligent trick that former Critical Eats editor Stella swears by for reducing her cinnamon rolls neatly with out squishing the dough, however a serrated knife will work too.) Nestle the buns right into a greased 9-inch aluminum cake pan, cowl loosely with plastic wrap or a moist towel, and let the dough proof till they’ve doubled in dimension.

Whereas these rolls are great topped with nothing greater than a dusting of powdered sugar, a buttery almond glaze makes them much more scrumptious. To maintain the rolls gooey and moist, pour the glaze over the rolls as quickly as they arrive out of the oven. Take pleasure in these rolls whereas they’re nonetheless recent and heat, they usually may simply change into your new favourite breakfast pastry.

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