Pastry:
- · ½ c. butter, softened
- · 1 c. all-purpose flour
- · 2 tbsp. cold water
Puff:
- · 1/2 c. butter
- · 1 c. water
- · 1 c. all-purpose flour
- · 1 ½ tsp. almond extract
- · 3 eggs
Glaze:
- · 1 ½ c. powdered sugar
- · 2 tbsp. butter, softened
- · dash salt
- · 1 ½ tsp. almond extract
- · 1/2 c. sliced almonds, toasted
For the crust:
· In a medium bowl, cut the ½ c. butter into the 1 c. of flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Using a fork, mix in cold water as needed, 1 tbsp. at a time, until mixture comes together but is not sticky. (You might not need any.)
· Once dough has formed, divide in half. Roll each half into a 12" long log, then with the heel of your hand, press each piece onto an unprepared cookie sheet, forming two bases approx. 12x3", leaving 3" in-between the bases.
Preheat oven to 350º F.
For the puff:
· In a 3-4 qt. saucepan, bring ½ c. of butter and 1 c. of water to a rolling boil, ensuring all butter has completely melted.
· Lower heat and add 1 c. of flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until dough forms a tight ball. Remove from heat.
· Stir in eggs one at a time, then add 1 ½ tsp. almond extract. Dough should be consistent in texture and likely a bit shiny. (You can also mix in eggs & extract with a hand mixer.)
· Spread dough equally onto crust bases, getting as close to the edges as you can.
· Bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown throughout the puff (resist temptation to open oven until 50-minute mark--too much opening/closing can cause the puff to deflate). Cool, then top with glaze.
For the glaze:
· With a hand mixer in a medium bowl, mix sugar, butter, salt & almond extract until well-blended and smooth. If it seems too thick, you can thin out with a tiny bit of milk or water. Spread on cooled puffs, then top with toasted almonds. (It sets pretty quickly, so be sure to sprinkle the almonds immediately after the glaze goes on.)
Make Ahead:
As we normally eat these on Christmas morning, it's not always the most fun to make them while everyone else is relishing in their new gifts, drinking coffee, etc. I've had good luck baking the entire puff the day before, then reheating at 350º for about 8-10 minutes. Then, frost as normal. Or for that really fresh-baked
taste, prepare the bottom crust the night before, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Measure out everything else--you could even put the water and butter in the saucepan. Make the frosting and leave covered at room temperature as well. Then proceed as directed in the morning.
Number of Servings: One. Just kidding. Like 8-10. But one person could eat the whole batch. Seriously.
Prep Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour bake time
Personal Notes:
Pair this with some big sausages and fruit, or a breakfast casserole and fruit...SO good. Everyone I know says this just tastes like Christmas. You'll see. :)