When I was very young, I lived next door to a German lady who owned a bakery. She was a lovely, generous woman who often brought us holiday treats. My mother frequently went to her bakery on Sunday mornings and bought treats for breakfast, including bear claws filled with frangipane. Oh my—a delight for a lifelong almond lover.
The filling in these rolls brings back memories of those delicious pastries with that delectable filling, frangipane. Frangipane (a.k.a. almond cream) is a classic French filling that is surprisingly easy to make. Once you try it, you’ll want to use it on repeat. You can use it in tarts, to fill cookies, or as it is here, filling for sweet rolls.
In baking breads, a supplemental mixture is often required, such as a poolish, a soaker, or a sponge, or, in this case, a tangzhong. The tangzhong is a cooked mixture of milk and flour that prevents the bread from getting stale. This is the second time I’ve encountered this term and made one, and I must say, this works really well to keep the dough fresh!
I wanted to do something special for Mother’s Day, and this recipe ended up being it. I usually do something more ’eggy,’ but eggs are still ridiculously expensive here in America. This recipe requires just two eggs, so there’s no guilt there! I adore almonds, and this recipe has them in spades, so I get to indulge in a bit of happiness here, too. These also take a bit of time to make, though some components can be made ahead, breaking up the tasks to make it a bit easier. Should you make this, I also recommend reading through the recipe before attempting to ensure you know what’s entailed. You should also know that this dough needs a lot of kneading, so using a stand mixer is highly recommended.
I toasted the almond flour for the frangipane early one morning and finished the cream later. I’m all about making things seem a bit easier.
Almond Sweet Rolls
I started with the frangipane because it can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to four days.
For the Frangipane
- 1 cup natural almond flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp orange zest (optional)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp rum or brandy (optional)
- 1-½ tsp almond extract
- 1-½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ kosher salt (¼ tsp table salt)
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Spread the almond flour on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast it for about 10 minutes, turning it every 3 minutes.
Allow to cool and set aside.
Beat the butter, sugar, and orange zest, if using, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer. Beat on low speed to incorporate, then increase to high.
Add in the egg, toasted almond flour, all-purpose flour, extracts, salt, and brandy, if using, and beat on medium-high, using a flexible spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until smooth, creamy, and fully incorporated. Set aside, or refrigerate in an airtight container, if making ahead. Just remember to pull it out of the fridge before needing it, so it’s easier to spread.
For the Tangzhong
- 2 Tbsp bread flour
- ⅓ cup whole milk
Whisk the milk and flour together in a small saucepan. Cook until the mixture thickens, whisking continuously. It should have the texture of stretchy pudding.
For the Dough
- 1 recipe tangzhong
- 2-½ cups bread flour
- ½ cup whole milk
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter (+ more for greasing the pan)
- 1 egg
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1-¼ tsp kosher salt
For Finishing
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- 1 recipe glaze (recipe after the dough recipe)
Scrape the hot tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the bread hook attachment, letting the mixture cool until it’s just warm to the touch. Add the milk, butter, egg, flour, yeast, sugar, and salt and mix on low speed to incorporate the ingredients, about 10-15 minutes. If you pull out a piece of dough the size of a golf ball and stretch it, you should be able to see light through it. (This is called the ’windowpane’ test.) If that doesn’t happen, throw the dough back in and mix for another 5 minutes or so.
Place the dough ball in a greased bowl (the dough will be sticky) and cover it with plastic wrap or a towel. Let it sit in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
Grease a 9-inch round pan with butter. Lay 2 15” x 3” strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the pan in an ’X’ formation. This will make it easy to pull out of the pan to present on a plate.
Bring the frangipane to room temperature—it will be much easier to spread.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll it into a half-inch-thick 14-inch x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the frangipane over the dough with an offset spatula, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Starting with the long end, roll the dough into a log, pinching it together along the seam to seal it. Pat the dough gently to even out the roll as needed.
Using a serrated bread knife or a piece of dental floss, slice the log into seven 2-inch slices. Arrange the 6 slices evenly around the perimeter of the pan and place one in the center.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled—about 30-60 minutes. At this point, you can also cover them and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Then you can allow them to rise in a warm place until doubled before baking.
Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the rolls.
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown. If they look too dark before they finish baking, tent them loosely with foil. Check the roll in the pan’s middle to ensure it is done.
While the rolls are baking, make the glaze.
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp whole milk (+ more if needed)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- Pinch of salt
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth and glossy. It should be thick and pourable. If needed, add additional milk a teaspoonful at a time.
Remove the buns from the oven, pull the excess strips of parchment up to lift the rolls out of the pan, and put them on a plate. Pour the glaze over them while they’re hot. Allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving and enjoy while warm.
Makes 7 rolls.
