Danish Almond Puff

My mom used to make this Almond Puff every year for Christmas. It is very elegant and pretty–and surprisingly easy to make. I almost always have every ingredient already in my cupboard. I made it myself for the first time and my husband loved it. I’m planning to make it for his mom when she comes to visit. This is a fun one to share.

Step: 1

Place 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl. Mix in butter using a fork or a pastry blender. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over, and stir with a fork until dough comes together. Divide into two balls. Pat dough into two long strips on an ungreased baking sheet, about 14 inches long and 3 inches wide. Set aside.

Step: 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step: 3

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract and remove from the heat. Immediately stir in 1 cup of flour until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Gradually stir in the eggs until well blended. Divide evenly, and spread over the two crusts on the baking sheet.

Step: 4

Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 1 hour. Allow to cool almost to room temperature before frosting.

Step: 5

To make the frosting, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract and a splash of milk in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to make a pourable glaze. Drizzle over the Danish, and decorate with candy sprinkles if desired.

Per Serving: 424 calories; protein 5.9g; carbohydrates 42g; fat 25.9g; cholesterol 130.9mg; sodium 192.7mg.

The quality of the flour could make a real deal to your bread. Different makers do vary. Great taste or Canadian flours, which are bet higher in gluten, may give you a best rise than standard bread flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal bread , which doesn’t always rise as well as white bread.

To made this in a dough , add all the menus to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A bread first rising can be make in the fridge overnight . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great limit , as you can start it night before , then finish it off the next day.