Almond Puff Loaf
The recipe for this buttery, flaky, tender confection has been around for years and years but, like all fine classics, its beauty never fades. It's incredibly easy to make, yet tastes and looks as though a professionally trained pastry chef might have labored over it for hours. Hey, a little subterfuge never hurts any bakers' reputation!
Step-by-step photos illustrating how to make this puff loaf are available at Bakers' Banter, our King Arthur blog.
First Layer
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*, cut into pats or 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup water
- *If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Second Layer
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter*
- 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature; warm them, in the shell, in hot tap water for 10 minutes if they're cold from the fridge
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- *If you're using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Topping
- 2/3 cup jam or preserves
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a 350°F oven for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until they're a light, golden brown
Icing
- 1/2 cup confectioners' or glazing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 teaspoons milk or water (approximately)
Directions
|
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) a large cookie sheet. |
|
1) First layer: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, and salt (if you're using it), working the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or fork, your fingers, or a mixer. Mix until everything is crumbly, then stir in the water. The dough will become cohesive, though not smooth. |
|
2) Divide the dough in half; if you're using a scale, each half will weigh about 4 5/8 ounces. Wet your hands, and shape each piece of this wet dough into a rough log. Pat the logs into 11" x 3" rectangles on the sheet, leaving at least 4" (but preferably 6") between them, and 2" on each side. These puff up in the oven (hence the name), and you need to leave them room for expansion. |
|
3) Second layer: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water and butter to a boil. Stir until the butter melts, then add the flour (and salt, if you're using it) all at once. Stir the mixture with a spoon till it thickens, begins to steam, and leaves the sides of the pan; this will happen very quickly. |
|
4) Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat it at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just to cool it down a bit. |
|
5) Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat until the dough loses its "slimy" look, and each egg is totally absorbed. |
|
6) Mix in the almond extract. |
|
7) Divide the batter in half. Spread half the batter over one of the dough strips on the pan, covering it completely. Repeat with the remaining batter and dough. |
|
8) With a spatula (or your wet fingers) spread the batter until it completely covers the entire bottom layer of dough. Smooth it out as best you can. |
|
9) Bake the pastry for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until it's a deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and transfer each pastry to a wire rack. |
|
10) Topping: Spread each warm pastry with about 1/3 cup of jam or preserves. (Any flavor is fine, but our favorites are raspberry and apricot.) |
|
11) Sprinkle the toasted almonds atop the jam. By this time, your beautifully puffed pastries are probably starting to sink; don't worry, this is all part of the plan. |
|
12) Icing: Stir together the sugar, vanilla, and enough milk or water to form a thick but "drizzlable" icing. |
|
13) Drizzle the icing atop the pastries. |
|
14) Cut into squares or strips to serve. |
Recipe summary
- Hands-on time:
- 30 mins.
- Baking time:
- 60 mins.
- Total time:
- 1 hrs 30 mins.
- Yield:
- 16 to 20 servings
- Recipe comments (12) »
Reviews
11/11/2009
Simple to make, tastes and looks good enough that people at work thought I bought it at a local gourmet bakery! This is definitely a keeper recipe!
11/08/2009
I have been making this recipe for over 40 years. It was in the Betty Crocker New picture cook book 1961 version. if anyone is having trouble with the second layer, it's because it's the recipe for cream puffs and if you do not let you flour mixture cool a few minutes before you put the eggs in it will not be right.
10/23/2009
This was such an easy recipe! Having the pictures really helped me. I used the apricot jelly and it looked just like the photo. Definitely a recipe to keep handy.
10/02/2009
This is the same recipe I have for Finnish Coffee Cake! In it, you use a can of almond pastry filling between the layers but my neighbor loves apricots & likes this version better.
09/16/2009
I used to make this when I was a kid, a lot!! it was very easy, always came out really well. I lost the recipe as I grew up (mother's cookbook), and never saw it in any cookbooks. I have since made it many times, and have even served during king cake season to change things up. My co-workers were very surprised at how "addictive" this is.
08/30/2009
Would've expected something better from KAF. This recipe is not nearly as puffy, or flaky as the photo and description indicate. The second dough is definitely slimy to work with (more like a batter)...and messy to spread onto the base layer on a baking sheet.
Though I followed instructions it only puffed up to 1/4 inch...and tasted quite heavy, (greasy).
Don't waste your time with this one...KAF ought to go back to their test kitchens with this one.
(P.S. I am an avid, experienced baker).
We are sorry to hear that you didn't care for this recipe. If you want to troubleshoot, please don't hesitate to contact our baker's hotline. MJR @ KAF
08/24/2009
I have made this recipe twice. Both times I added cream cheese filling between the layers. My family enjoy it both times.
08/14/2009
I made this and brought some in to work and got rave reviews. :) "It tastes like something from the French Pastry store down the street" my boss said. I used apricot as the flavor of the jam/preserves. This recipe is wonderful. I love it.
08/13/2009
I used a small roller to smoothe out the 1st layer. I used walnuts instead of almonds (was out of almonds) and it came out great! Will probably buy almonds for next time as I definitely plan to make again. Thanks so much for the recipe! (it doesn't keep well, so I may freeze what we don't eat right away. Not sure if I should wait to drizzel with glaze before I freeze it.
I'd drizzle after you thaw it. It will look better and taste fresher. Molly @ KAF
07/14/2009
Maybe I did something wrong but the mixture in the second step was very runny - I was halving the recipe (maybe that's not a good idea?) I had to add a lot more flour so it wouldn't run all over the cookie sheet when I put it on top of the first step. Haven't tasted it yet though. It looks kind of flat.
I'm sorry that you are having difficulty adjusting this recipe. Please call us at the Baker's Hotline for assistance: 800-827-6836. Frank @ KAF.
Bookmark/share
this recipe