Frangipane Buns

This is one of my all time favorite treats - frangipane is kind of like a cinnamon bun but it has a delicious almond filling instead of cinnamon. I love having frangipane for breakfast but it also makes the most perfect afternoon snack! This recipe comes from a variety of places - I make the dough in our bread machine and use a simple white bread recipe. The frangipane filling comes from a holiday Canadian Living magazine. Here is how to make it...

Make a classic white dough recipe. You will need 2 pounds of dough. Any cinnamon bun dough will work. My mom has always made this dough in the bread machine so I do too! If your bread machine a recipe book that goes along with, I recommend using a plain white bread dough. If you would like to do this by hand, I recommend making the dough that goes with my favorite cinnamon buns. You can find the recipe HERE. Just go up to the rolling out part. Then, switch to frangipane.

To make the frangipane filling, pulse 1 cup of almonds in the food processor until they are finely chopped. Once the almonds are chopped up, pulse in 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Finally pulse in 1/4 cup of softened butter, 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. The mixture should resemble a smooth paste.

Store the frangipane filling in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Once your dough is ready to go (my dough was in the bread machine for 1 1/2 hours. I punched it down and then it was ready to roll out), roll it out on a lightly floured surface so that it is an 18x14 inch rectangle.

Spread the frangipane filling over the rolled out dough. Leave about an inch border around the edge. Once the filling is spread, roll the dough into a cylinder. Use a bench knife to cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces.

Prepare a 9x13inch baking sheet by buttering it or spraying it with cooking spray. Place the 12 buns into the prepared dish. Then, cover the buns and let them rise for 45 minutes in a warm dry place. They should double in size.

Brush the tops of the buns with a beaten egg and sprinkle 1/4 cup of almonds over the top.

Bake the buns for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let the buns cool completely before sprinkling some icing sugar over the top. Then theya re ready to enjoy! They make the most perfect treat.

FRANGIPANE BUNS
yield 12 buns

ingredients
2 lb of classic white bread

frangipane filling...
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

topping...
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup sliced almonds
icing sugar

directions
1. Make 2 lbs of classic white bread following the instructions for your bread machine.
2. To make the frangipane filling, pulse the almonds in a food processor until they are finely chopped. Pulse in the sugar and the flour. Then, pulse in the softened butter, the egg and the almond extract. The mixture should resemble a smooth paste.
3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface so that it is an 18x14 inch rectangle. Spread the frangipane filling over the rolled out dough. Leave about an inch border around the edge. Once the filling is spread, roll the dough into a cylinder. Use a bench knife to cut the cylinder into 12 equal pieces.
4. Prepare a 9x13inch baking sheet by buttering it or spraying it with cooking spray. Place the 12 buns into the prepared dish. Then, cover the buns and let them rise for 45 minutes in a warm dry place. They should double in size.
5. Bake the buns for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Let the buns cool completely before sprinkling some icing sugar over the top. Then theya re ready to enjoy!

Let me know if you have questions! :)