Once I Started Adding This Ingredient to Pancake Batter, I’ve Never Made Pancakes Another Way
If I could pinpoint when I first gained sentience, it would be about 15-something years ago — when I first bit into an almond croissant. Sure I’d had other tasty desserts beforehand, but none as decadent and taste-defining as my first almond croissant. I could look back and define this time in my life as B.C. (before croissant) and A.C. (after croissant); that’s how monumental this moment was for me. Since then, almond croissants — and other almond-flavored desserts — have become my all-time favorite sweet treat. Give me all of the rainbow cookies! Pignolis all the way!
It was only a few years ago, when I was studying abroad in London — the peak time in my life when I would actively seek out all of almond-infused desserts I could find — that I found myself in a specialty grocer and realized that I could be implementing it into my own everyday baking with one simple ingredient: almond paste. The distinct sweet-nuttiness of almond paste is now a constant fixture in my life; I add it to as many desserts and baked goods as I can, including pancakes.
What Is Almond Paste?
Almond paste is an ingredient that is typically made from a mixture of equal parts ground almonds and sugar and some type of liquid binder like water, rosewater, syrup, or almond extract and occasionally egg whites. Its makeup depends on where it’s from. For example, almond paste from Sweden, also known as mandelmassa, is made from ground almonds, sugar, water, simple syrup, and alcohol.
Not to be mistaken for marzipan, almond paste is commonly used as a filling or topping in croissants, cakes, cookies, and pies, whereas marzipan is similar to a fondant and can be molded. Another important note: You can eat marzipan raw, but it is not recommended to eat almond paste raw.
What Makes Almond Paste So Good?
The primary ingredient in almond paste is almonds, which impart a rich, nutty-buttery taste that is incredibly decadent. The next ingredient in almond paste is sugar — but not too much, like marzipan — which gives it a subtle sweetness that complements the nuttiness and natural sweetness of almonds.
This versatile ingredient is excellent for baking and can be used in a variety of desserts, including cookies, cakes, and laminated pastry.
My Favorite Way to Use Almond Paste
That day back in London I grabbed three tubes of almond paste and ran to the train to get back to my flat to bake my very own almond croissants. If you’ve ever made croissants before, you know that this was an all-day, messy affair, but I was elated! In my grasp was the sweet-nutty flavor of almond, and I immediately knew I had to use more of it.
In this London flat, I was making everything I could with almond paste — baking it into blondies, topping my cookies with it, adding it to cake batter — but my quickest and favorite way to use it? Adding it to pancakes. Here’s exactly how I do it.
Ingredients in Almond Paste Pancakes
2 cups buttermilk pancake mix (it was the winner of our pancake mix taste test!)
1 1/2 cups water
4 ounces almond paste, diced (such as Trader Joe’s Almond Paste)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or cooking oil of choice, for skillet
How to Make Almond Paste Pancakes
Make the batter: In a food processor, combine water, pancake mix, and almond paste. Process until the mixture is smooth.
Cook the pancakes: Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Grease the skillet with 1 tablespoon of butter. In batches, pour 1/3 cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle and cook until each side is golden-brown, about a minute-and-a-half per side. Repeat with the remaining butter and batter.
Enjoy! Serve with maple syrup, more butter, or, my favorite, with preserves!
Thanks to the food processor, the almond paste combines really well into the batter and the rich almond flavor really shines through. You’d never know it took you just three ingredients (and less than 20 minutes, from start to finish!). I make them for friends and family as an impressive brunch main, but they’re simple enough to elevate any weekday morning.
This article originally published on The Kitchn. See it there: Once I Started Adding This Ingredient to Pancake Batter, I’ve Never Made Pancakes Another Way
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