Base (tant-pour-tant)
- 1 egg (weigh it — this defines all other quantities)
- same weight butter, softened
- same weight caster sugar
- same weight almond powder
Example batch (65g egg)
- 65 g butter, softened
- 65 g caster sugar
- 65 g almond powder
- 65 g eggs (~1 large egg)
Frangipane (crème d'amande + pastry cream)
- 1 batch crème d'amande
- 1 batch crème pâtissière — → Crème Pâtissière
With cornstarch (for tarts, firmer set)
- +10 g cornstarch per 65g egg batch
The simplest baking base to know. The tant-pour-tant (equal parts by weight) means you can scale the recipe from the weight of a single egg. Keep it at room temperature before using — cold crème d'amande pipes unevenly and cracks in the tart shell. Do not over-mix; it should be smooth but not airy.
Method
Mix
- Weigh the egg first. Use that weight for butter, sugar, and almond powder.
- Beat butter and sugar together until just combined — do not cream to a pale mousse.
- Add almond powder. Mix.
- Add egg gradually. Mix until smooth. Do not over-beat — air creates a souffle-like texture that puffs and then collapses in the oven.
- Pipe immediately or refrigerate in a piping bag. Use at room temperature.
For almond croissants: add 10g cornstarch to improve hold during baking.
Frangipane variant
- Make a small batch of crème pâtissière (cold). Fold into the crème d'amande — roughly 1:1 ratio, to taste.
- The frangipane is lighter, less dense, and bakes with a more custardy interior. Used in galette des rois and some tarts.
Baking
- Pipe into a pre-baked or partially baked tart shell. Spread evenly — it will puff slightly in the oven but then settle.
- Bake at 165–170°C until set and golden — about 12–15 min for a thin layer, 20–25 min for a deep fill. The surface should feel dry and spring back when pressed.
- Cool before adding any toppings.
Background
The tant-pour-tant ratio (equal parts butter, sugar, almond, egg) is the standard across the French baking curriculum. Grolet uses it consistently. The ratio can be adjusted slightly — more butter makes it richer and softer; more almond makes it drier and nuttier. Hazelnut powder is a direct substitute for almond powder and gives a more pronounced flavour.
Do not confuse crème d'amande with frangipane. Crème d'amande is the base; frangipane adds crème pâtissière to lighten the texture. For a galette des rois, frangipane is traditional. For a bourdaloue, crème d'amande alone is used (the pears provide moisture). For a fruit tart with a base cream, either works depending on the desired density.
Where it's used
- Galette des rois (as frangipane with pastry cream)
- Tarte Bourdaloue (with poached pears, crème d'amande alone)
- Tarte aux fraises (as a base layer under the fruit)
- Tartelettes pécan (Yann Couvreur — crème d'amande + caramelised pecans)
- Almond croissants (with added cornstarch, piped inside the split croissant)
Sources
- Crème d'Amande —
- Tarte Fraise Workshop —
- Tartelettes Pécan | Yann Couvreur —
- Croissants aux Amandes —