Frangipane: Almond Cream

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a freelance lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/6/22
Tested by
Tracy Wilk
Photo of Tracy Wilk
Tested by Tracy Wilk
Tracy Wilk is a professional pastry chef, recipe developer and chef instructor, and, most importantly, a firm believer in sprinkles.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Small tarts filled with Italian almond cream frangipane, and frangipane and raspberries

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1/2 cup
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
932 Calories
67g Fat
69g Carbs
19g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 932
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 67g 86%
Saturated Fat 26g 128%
Cholesterol 278mg 93%
Sodium 346mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Total Sugars 53g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 191mg 15%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 504mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Frangipane is a velvety almond cream that's enhanced with just a hint of vanilla. The cream, which has a nutty, sweet taste, adds delicious richness and texture to desserts. It can be used in many different ways, including as a filling for tarts, cakes, and pastries (think almond croissants). Popular recipes are the Bakewell tart (a pastry shell filled with layers of frangipane, jam, and flaked almonds), the conversation tart (filled puff pastry drizzled with royal icing), Pithiviers (a puff pastry pie), and Jésuite (a triangular filled pastry).

Frangipane is a snap to make and a key part of any good baker's repertoire. The recipe is simple and can be made with a few different methods—in the food processor, stand mixer, or by hand. However you do it, the recipe basically involves adding all of the ingredients at once. This frangipane recipe makes enough almond cream for one large tart or several small tartlets. As this is a raw product, it will need to be cooked before consuming.

0:54

Click Play to See This Frangipane Almond Cream Come Together

"I love to use frangipane as a layer in a simple tart, with some fresh fruit or fig jam. Once baked, the sweetness of the fruit combined with a tart shell and baked frangipane is supreme. This recipe was straightforward and is a great starting place if you want to learn more about traditional pastries." —Tracy Wilk

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup ground almond meal

  • 1 large egg

  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for frangipane recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. Place the butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together.

    Butter and sugar being creamed in a stand mixer

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  3. Add the almond meal and mix to combine.

    Almond meal added to butter and sugar mixture in stand mixer

    The Spruce Eats

  4. Then add the vanilla and the egg, gently beating until all is mixed.

    Egg and vanilla incorporated into smooth batter in stand mixer

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  5. Finish by adding the flour and combining until well mixed. 

    Thick and smooth frangipane batter

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  6. When you are ready to use it, fill your pastries, tart, or tartlets and bake.

  7. Enjoy.

    Small tarts filled with Italian almond cream frangipane, and frangipane and raspberries

    The Spruce Eats

How to Store Frangipane

You can make frangipane and store it in the fridge for about one week. You can also freeze it for up to a month; just make sure to bring it up to room temperature before using it. Thawing in the refrigerator is always recommended.

Recipe Variations

  • If you have whole or chopped almonds, you can make the almond meal in the food processor. Begin by processing the almonds until a fine meal is formed, then add the remaining ingredients and process until well mixed. If you're mixing it all by hand, you can either use softened butter or melt the butter first.
  • You can use almond paste in place of the ground almond meal.

What's the Difference Between Frangipane and Marzipan?

Frangipane and marzipan are both made from almonds and used in desserts. Marzipan is denser than frangipane and is used more for decorative purposes, on top of cakes, or shaped into forms and baked (such as cookies). Frangipane is used as a filling and must be baked. Marzipan and frangipane can't be substituted for each other. You can, however, make all of these ingredients yourself, which is usually the fastest way to learn how to use them.

The History of Frangipane

Frangipane has Italian origins; its name stems from the phrase frangere il pane, meaning "to break bread." There is more than one story as to how this recipe came about, but the one common thread is that it was derived from a member of the Roman Frangipani family, who, legend has it, distributed bread to the poor (hence their name).


However, there are also other versions of how this dessert ingredient came about. One takes place in the 16th century—Marquis Muzio Frangipani, an Italian nobleman living in Paris, invented the bitter almond perfumed glove, a sought-after accessory said to be worn by Louis XIII. To take advantage of the glove's popularity, bakeries added almond flavoring to their pastry cream and called it frangipane. A third story suggests that it stems from an almond treat given to St. Francis of Assisi on his deathbed. To further complicate things, sometimes its name is attributed to the tropical flower frangipane itself.

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