Almond Danish Puff
A buttery, flaky short-crust base topped with a pillowy choux layer, finished with a creamy almond glaze and toasted sliced almonds. Looks like a bakery showpiece but surprisingly simple to make.
Ingredients
Short Crust Base
- 1/2 cup butter softened, salted
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp water room temperature
Choux-Style Topping
- 1/2 cup butter salted
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp almond extract do not skip
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs large
Almond Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tbsp butter softened
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1-2 tbsp warm water or milk add slowly for right consistency
- sliced almonds to taste, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Make the short crust base: Add 1 cup all-purpose flour to a medium bowl. Cut in 1/2 cup softened butter using a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of room-temperature water over the mixture. Stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. Divide in half and press each half into a 12 x 3 inch rectangle on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Make the choux topping: Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full rolling boil, then immediately remove from heat.
- Stir in 1 tsp almond extract. Add 1 cup flour all at once and stir vigorously. Return to low heat and stir for about 1 minute until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball. Remove from heat and let cool 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Assemble: Divide the choux topping in half and spread evenly over each short crust rectangle, pushing all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes until the top is deep golden-brown and looks dry and crisp. The pastry will puff up dramatically then collapse when removed from the oven — this is completely normal.
- Transfer both strips to a wire cooling rack and cool for at least 30–40 minutes before glazing.
- Make the glaze: Mix powdered sugar, softened butter, almond extract, and 1 tablespoon warm water or milk until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed. Spread or drizzle over cooled pastry strips.
- Immediately scatter toasted sliced almonds over the wet glaze. Let set for 15 minutes, then slice and serve.
Notes
Use salted butter throughout — it provides the only savory-sweet balance in this recipe.
Do not skip almond extract — it is the defining flavor of this pastry. Use it in both the topping and the glaze.
Toast the almonds — 2–3 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
Make ahead tip: Bake the night before, leave unglazed, cover loosely, and add the glaze and almonds the next morning.
Freezer tip: Wrap cooled unglazed pastry tightly in plastic wrap then foil. Freezes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze fresh before serving.