Almond Puff Loaf Recipe

How to make it

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• FIRST LAYER: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butter, flour, and
• Salt, working the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or fork, your
• Fingers, or a mixer. Mix until everything is crumbly, then stir in the water.
• The dough will become cohesive, though not smooth.
• Divide the dough in half. Wet your hands, and shape each piece of this wet
• Dough into a rough log. Grease a baking sheet or sheets that'll allow you to
• Stretch and pat the logs into 11 x 3-inch rectangles on the sheet, leaving at
• Least 4 inches (but preferably 6 inches) between them, and 2 inches on each
• Side. These puff up in the oven (hence the name), and you need to leave them
• Room for expansion.
• SECOND LAYER: In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the water and butter to a
• Boil. Stir until the butter melts, then add the flour (and salt, if you're
• Using it) all at once. Stir the mixture with a spoon till it thickens, begins
• To steam, and leaves the sides of the pan; this will happen very quickly.
• Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat
• It at medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just to cool it down a bit.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat until the
• Dough loses its "slimy" look, and each egg is totally absorbed. Mix in the
• Almond extract. Divide the batter in half. Spread half the batter over one
• Of the dough strips on the pan, covering it completely. Repeat with the
• Remaining batter and dough. With a spatula (or your wet fingers) spread the
• Batter until it completely covers the entire bottom layer of dough. Smooth it
• Out as best you can.
• Bake the pastry in a preheated 350°F oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until
• it's a deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and transfer each pastry
• To a wire rack.
• TOPPING: Spread each warm pastry with about 1/3 cup of jam or preserves. (Any
• Flavor is fine, but our favorites are raspberry and apricot.) Sprinkle the
• Toasted almonds atop the jam. By this time, your beautifully puffed pastries
• Are probably starting to sink; don't worry, this is all part of the plan.
• ICING: Stir together the sugar, vanilla, and enough milk or water to form a
• Thick but "drizzlable" icing. Drizzle the icing atop the pastries. Cut into
• Squares or strips to serve. Yield: 16 to 20 servings.