FILLING:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups almond flour
SIMPLE SYRUP:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon rosewater, orange blossom water or 1 stick cinnamon
½ pound Phyllo dough
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- If butter is nice and soft then filling can be mixed by hand. If not, use a hand held mixer.
- Combine the butter, sugar, salt, extracts and eggs in a 3 quart mixing bowl. Add the almond flour and stir to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until it firms up.
- Combine the sugar water and lemon juice in a 1 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is clear but not turning color. Turn off the heat and add flavoring of choice and set aside until needed.
- Meanwhile, cut the roll of dough crosswise into 5 inch sections. Cover one section with plastic wrap and then a damp paper towel. Make sure the dough is completely covered and the towel doesn’t touch the dough. Set aside while you work with the other roll.
- Unroll the 5 inch section of dough and cut crosswise through all layers to make 5 inch squares. Take four squares of dough at a time and lay them out, in single layers, on your counter or board. Cover the rest of the dough to prevent it from drying out.
- Working quickly, brush melted butter over all of the squares. Place 1 tablespoon of the Frangipane in a line about ½” from the bottom of the dough. Roll dough over the filling once. Brush the edges with a little more butter and then fold each edge in and over the filling. Continue rolling up the dough to make a cigar and place seam side down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Proceed with the remaining squares until all the filling has been used.
- Brush tops with additional melted butter and bake in a pre-heated 375F oven until the cigars are golden -about 15 minutes.
- Serve as is or brush the hot pastries with the sugar syrup and set on a plate to serve.
Yield: 4 or more dozen
Tina’s Tidbits:
- The Frangipane can be made in advance and refrigerated for 3-4 days. It can be frozen but the raw egg might crystallize and change the consistency of the finished baked good.
- These pastries are popular throughout the Mediterranean but the flavoring gives a clue to the region. Greece-cinnamon, Rosewater-Iraq, Syria and the Levant. Orange blossom water, Northern Africa and the Maghreb.
- These pastries can be made in advance, flash frozen individually on a lined cookie sheet and then placed in an airtight freezer bag or container. When ready to bake, place frozen pastries on a lined cookie sheet and then brush with some melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
- Simple syrup can remain in the refrigerator for weeks. Use it over fruit, in iced tea or poured over ice cream.