Anxiety is something that I and so many others have struggled with in their lives and the lack of control and spiraling can be detrimental to mental health, especially in the adolescent developing brain. I use baking as a coping strategy to ease my anxiety while also being productive and making something delicious to satisfy my sweet tooth! Almond croissant blondies were my first “stress bake,” as my family often jokes, but to me it holds a greater meaning. This recipe is a reminder that not everything has to be perfect and by setting aside time to help my mental health, I am also helping my head, heart and soul.

Almond Croissant Blondies Recipe

Ingredients:

Brown Butter Ingredients

• 5 tablespoon (70g) unsalted butter
• 10 tablespoon (140g) unsalted butter

Almond Frangipane Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup (64g) almond flour

Blondies Ingredients

• ⅔ cup (133g) brown sugar
• ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ¼ cup (150g) all purpose flour
• ¼ cup (24g) almond flour
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to conventional bake at 350℉.

For the Brown Butter

1. NOTE: You can combine and brown all the butter at once. For the blondies, you’ll need about 110-115g once browned, and for the frangipane, you’ll need about 56-58g. If you have a little more or a little less, that’s okay.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir the butter to make sure it melts evenly. Once the butter is completely melted, it will start to foam up. Continue stirring the butter. As it cooks, it will start to change into a deeper brown color. This could take 6-8 minutes.
3. You’ll start to notice a nutty aroma, and the butter will begin to have brown specs at the bottom of the pan. The entire process of browning butter from start to finish should not take more than 10 minutes on medium heat.
4. Once butter is browned, divide brown butter into two bowls (making sure you weigh out correct measurements for both elements). Set it aside to cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.

For the Almond Frangipane

1. Mix the batter: In a small bowl, add the cooled brown butter and sugar, and mix using a spatula. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, salt and almond flour, and mix until combined. The mixture will be pretty loose and liquidy, but don’t fret. Set aside while making the blondies batter.

For the Blondies

1. Mix the batter: In a medium bowl, add cooled brown butter and sugars, and mix using a spatula until combined. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the salt, almond flour, and all purpose flour, and mix until incorporated.
2. Bake the Blondies: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it out. Then add the almond frangipane layer and spread it on top. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the layer of frangipane. Bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll see the sides get a little light brown and the middle will puff up a little bit. The frangipane layer should look cooked and not raw. Don’t overbake.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Sift powdered sugar on top, slice, and enjoy.