Frangipane – A Delicious Recipe To Try

Frangipane is still a mystery to many. However, we are here to introduce you to this sweet almond custard enhanced with just a hint of vanilla used in cakes and pastries. 

Frangipane sounded like an exotic name, was originally designated as a custard tart flavored by almonds but later became a filling used in various confections and baked goods.

Many people heard its name for the first time in a British TV show- The Great British Baking, but its history goes back to the 17th century.

Frangipane – Easy Recipe For Frangipane 

Although its origin has many stories, here are the three most famous. 

The common story of this recipe is that a Roman Frangipani family used to distribute bread to the poor.

How does distributing the bread relate to their name? Because the term frangipane is derived from the Italian phrase “frangere il pane,” which means “to break bread.” 

The second version and most famous story of its origin are about Marquis Muzio Frangipani or Cesare Frangipani, an Italian nobleman living in Paris who created a jasmine-based almond perfumed glove.

The glove was a sought-after accessory rumored to be worn by Louis XIII. The glove became famous, and bakers added this flavor to their pastry cream and called it frangipane. Another version of a similar story is that he invented the dish in the court of Louis XIII. 

A third common thread of its invention says that it was first made to give St. Francis of Assisi an almond treat on his deathbed. Its name is attributed to the tropical flower called Frangipane, which is another reason behind its name. 

There is a tradition in France that on 6 January, the day of Epiphany, the French cut the king’s cake. A king cake called Galette des Rois is a round cake made of frangipane layers whose slices are to be circulated by a child known as le petit ROI, which means the little king. The little king usually hides under the dining table. 

A special bean is hidden inside the cake and is decorated with stars, a crown, flowers, and others. The tradition is that whosoever gets the bean in their slice of cake is crowned king or queen for the rest of the year. 

How to store it?

It is easy to store homemade frangipane, keep it in the fridge for about one week. And if you want to store it longer then, keep it in the freezer for about eight weeks.

However, remember to bring it to room temperature before using it. 

How to serve Frangipane? 

Frangipane is an almond cream that has many popular recipes such as the Bakewell tart, the conversation tart, Pithiviers, and Jesuite. Bakewell tart is a pastry shell filled with layers of frangipane, jam, and flaked almonds.

The conversation tart has puff pastry drizzled with royal icing. Pithivier is a puff pastry pie and Jesuit is a triangular-filled pastry. 

You can also fill the tart with frangipane, and add pistachios, berries for more flavor, and bake them. You can also fill the bottom of the tart shells with a teaspoon of preserves and Jam and you are good to go. 

Pastries or almond croissants sound pretty good in the mouth. 

A point to remember is that frangipane is not similar to marzipan. Both are made up of almonds but marzipan is a thick paste and a confection used to mold figures for the decoration of the cake. 

Also Read:- Sweet Potato Rice Pudding – For Pudding Lovers!