Flaky Almond Pastry with Cream Cheese Dough
A flaky, tender pastry made with butter and cream cheese, filled with a rich almond cream, topped with sliced almonds, and baked until perfectly golden.
Servings 10 slices
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (120g) All-purpose flour
- 1 Tabelspoom Powdered sugar
- 1/2 Cup (113g) Unsalted cold butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 Cup (113g) Cold cream cheese, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 Large Egg yolk
- 1/2 Cup (60g) Sliced almonds
For The Almond Cream
- 1 Cup (100g) Almond flour
- 1/2 Cup (60g) powdered sugar (OR 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Flour
- 1 teaspoon Almond extract
- 1 Large Egg at room temprature
- 1/2 Cup (113g) Unsalted melted butter
Instructions
Make The Dough
- Place the flour (120g), powdered sugar (8g) and half of the butter (55g) in a food processor and process until the butter is the size of a small peas.
- Add the rest of the butter (55g) and the cream cheese (113g) and process until you have a crumble mixture and no dry flour.
- Dump the mixture over a clean work surface and use your hands to press the dough into a rectangle disk.
- Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for minimum of one hour or up to 5 days.
Make The Almond Cream
- Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix until you have a smooth cream.
Shape and bake
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and line one large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough over a lightly flour surface into a 10x15-inch rectangle. Trim the edges.
- Line the dough over the prepared dough.
- Top the almond cream over the center of the dough, shaping it to a 3x12-inches rectangle.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the sides of the dough into a 1-inch diagonally stripes, removing the first and last two.
- Fold the ends over the filling then, fold each stripe over the filling in alternating sides.
- Brush the pastry with the egg wash, sprinkle with the almonds and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and medium golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before inverting.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to three days, to reheat bake for 5-7 minutes at a 300F preheated oven.
- Making Ahead: You can prepare the almond filling and dough a day in advance. Store the filling in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before using. Roll the dough cold.
- Freeze: unbaked, filled and braided pastries on a tray, then wrap the tray with few layers of plastic wrap, top with aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 6 weeks. When ready, unwrap and allow the pastry to reach room temperature before baking. To freeze baked pastries, let them cool completely, then wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Make sure not to braid the pastry too tight, the filling will expand as it bakes, and if braiding too tight it might rip the braid. (which is not a big deal and still delicious).
- Turn the pan mid baking, and if you notice the pastry is starting to brown too fast, cover it with a large piece of aluminum foil.