Name: Easy Almond Frangipane Slice Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 125 grams salted butter (softened); 100 grams caster sugar; 5 ml 1 tsp vanilla extract; 5 ml 1 tsp almond extract or Amaretto; 190 grams cake flour (plain or all-purpose flour); 125 grams salted butter (softened); 110 grams caster sugar; 2 large free-range eggs; 5 ml 1 tsp vanilla extract; 5 ml 1 tsp almond extract; 150 grams ground almonds (almond flour); 30 grams cake flour (plain or all-purpose flour); 40 to 50 grams flaked almonds; Icing sugar (for dusting)

This almond frangipane slice is buttery, soft and packed with almond flavour. A shortbread base bakes together with a thick layer of almond frangipane, and the two layers melt into each other in the oven. The base turns soft and almost cake-like, while the frangipane bakes into a fluffy topping that still holds its shape. Flaked almonds toast on top as it bakes, so every square has a crunchy, golden finish.

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Almond frangipane shortbread bars / slices cut in half and piled on top of each other

I’m a little obsessed with almond croissants. Whenever I travel to France or anywhere with good bakeries, I treat myself to one (or many) with my coffee. This slice brings that almond croissant flavour home. It takes one bowl and one tin, and it’s ready in about an hour.

A recipe for Easy Almond Frangipane Slice (Shortbread Bars)

What Is Frangipane?

Frangipane is a soft almond cream made from butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds. It’s the filling in a Bakewell tart and a French galette des rois. Bakeries also pipe it into almond croissants before baking them a second time. In the oven, it puffs up into a light layer that’s somewhere between a sponge and a filling.

How t make frangipane for almond croissant bars with shortbread recipe

An Almond Frangipane Slice That Tastes Like an Almond Croissant

This slice has no pastry, but the flavour will take you straight to a French bakery. It has the same buttery frangipane and toasted flaked almonds, finished with a dusting of icing sugar. If you love almond croissants and don’t have two days to make them, this bake is for you.

Almond Frangipane shortbread Slice (almond croissant bar recipe)

Why This Frangipane Shortbread Works

Most slice recipes bake the base first. This one doesn’t. The shortbread goes into the tin raw, the frangipane goes straight on top, and everything bakes together. That’s why the base softens into something closer to cake than biscuit. It also means fewer steps, and you can use the same bowl to make the frangipane.

Step by step pics of making shortbread for almond frangipane slice recipe

Almond frangipane bars before baking in the tin

Ingredients for Almond Frangipane Slice

Salted butter goes into both layers, so there’s no need to add salt. Make sure it’s properly soft. Cold butter won’t cream, and the frangipane won’t turn pale and fluffy.

Ground almonds, also called almond flour, give the frangipane its texture. Use finely ground almonds for the softest topping.

Almond extract gives the slice its strong almond flavour. Amaretto works in the base if you’d prefer a gentler almond note.

South Africans use cake flour for most baking. Plain or all-purpose flour works exactly the same.

Ingredients for Almond Frangipane Slice on a marble table

Tips for the Best Frangipane Bars

Spread the base evenly. Press the crumbs into the tin with your fingers first, then smooth the surface with the back of a spatula. An even base means an even bake.

Beat the eggs in properly. The frangipane should look smooth and pale before you add the almonds. If it looks a little split, keep beating, and it’ll come together.

Watch the top. Flaked almonds brown quickly. If they’re getting dark before the centre is set, lay a loose sheet of foil over the tin. I generally always cover my bakes at around 20 minutes in, but check your oven.

Let it cool completely before cutting. Warm frangipane is soft and will tear. Once cool, it slices cleanly into neat squares.

Pick your tin for the thickness you want. A 20 cm (8-inch) square tin gives you 9 thick bars. A 23 to 25 cm tin gives you thinner bars that you can cut into 12 or 16.

How to Serve Almond Frangipane Slice

Serve it with tea or coffee, the way you’d have an almond croissant. It works for afternoon tea, as a lunchbox treat or cut into small squares for a dessert platter. Slightly warm with a spoonful of crème fraîche, it makes an easy pudding.

Frequently Asked Questions About Almond Frangipane Slice

Is this the same as an almond croissant slice?

It tastes very similar. You’ll often see this style of bake called almond croissant bars or slices online. It doesn’t have croissant pastry, though. The flavour comes from the almond frangipane and toasted flaked almonds, the same as the filling and topping of an almond croissant.

Do I need to bake the shortbread base first?

No. The base and frangipane bake together. That’s what makes the base soft and cake-like rather than crisp.

Can I use almond flour instead of ground almonds?

Yes. Almond flour and ground almonds are the same thing in this recipe. Finely ground almonds give the softest frangipane.

What’s the difference between frangipane and almond paste?

Frangipane is a soft almond cream made with butter, sugar, eggs and ground almonds. It bakes into a light, cake-like layer. Almond paste or marzipan is a dense mix of ground almonds and sugar that doesn’t rise.

Can I make frangipane slice ahead of time?

Yes. It keeps well for a few days and tastes just as good the next day. Dust it with icing sugar just before serving so the sugar doesn’t dissolve.

Can I freeze frangipane bars?

Yes. Freeze them without the icing sugar, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and dust before serving.

Prep Time:20

Cook Time:45

Ingredients

Shortbread base

125 grams salted butter softened
100 grams caster sugar
5 ml 1 tsp vanilla extract
5 ml 1 tsp almond extract or Amaretto
190 grams cake flour plain or all-purpose flour

Frangipane

125 grams salted butter softened
110 grams caster sugar
2 large free-range eggs
5 ml 1 tsp vanilla extract
5 ml 1 tsp almond extract
150 grams ground almonds almond flour
30 grams cake flour plain or all-purpose flour

To finish

40 to 50 grams flaked almonds
Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional or 170°C fan. Line a 20 cm (8 inch) or 23 to 25 cm square tin with baking paper.
For the base, beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and almond extract until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the flour and mix briefly until soft crumbs form. They should clump together when you press them between your fingers.
Tip the crumbs into the tin and press them down evenly. Smooth the surface gently with a spatula.
For the frangipane, use the same bowl. Beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and almond extract until creamy. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is smooth, pale and fluffy.
Add the ground almonds and flour and mix briefly until just combined.
Spoon the frangipane over the base and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Scatter over the flaked almonds.
Bake for 43 to 45 minutes until golden on top and cooked through. If the top browns too quickly, cover the tin loosely with foil.
Leave to cool completely in the tin. Dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Notes

Tin size: a 20 cm (8-inch) square tin gives 9 thick bars. A 23 to 25 cm (9 to 10 inch) square tin makes thinner bars that bake faster, so start checking a few minutes early. A 28 cm x 20 cm rectangular tin will be the right size for this recipe too and equivalent to a 23cm (9inch) tin.

Storage: keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze undusted bars, well wrapped, for up to 3 months.

Reheating: for a fresh-from-the-oven feel, warm a square in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for 5 minutes, or in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Dust with icing sugar after warming.

Servings: 9