Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Almond meal crackling is a thin, golden sheet of caramelised almond baked from just two things: ground almonds and Florentine mix. As it bakes, the mix melts and bubbles through the almond meal, then sets on cooling into a brittle, toffee-like sheet that snaps cleanly and tastes of toasted nuts and warm caramel.
Because it is made with almond meal rather than nibs or slivers, it breaks into fine, sandy shards rather than chunky pieces, so it is ideal for pressing around the sides of a cake, scattering over cream and mousse tops, or crushing into a crunchy layer between fillings. Broken into larger irregular pieces it also makes a simple upright garnish. Keep it dry and it stays crisp for weeks.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 550
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: flat baking tray, about 30 x 40 cm, spread thin
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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325 |
11.4 ounces
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Almond Meal
Almond meal, almond flour or ground almond is made from ground sweet almonds. Almond flour is usually made with blanched almonds (no skin), whereas almond meal can be made both with whole or blanched almonds. The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour.
It is used in pastry and confectionery – in the manufacture of almond macarons and other sweet pastries, in cake and pie filling, such as Sachertorte and is one of the two main ingredients of marzipan and almond paste. In France, almond meal is an important ingredient in frangipane, the filling of traditional galette des Rois cake.
Almond meal has recently become important in baking items for those on low carbohydrate diets. It adds moistness and a rich nutty taste to baked goods. Items baked with almond meal tend to be calorie-dense.
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B
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225 |
7.9 ounces
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Florentine Mix
Florentine mix is a ready-made caramel base used by pastry kitchens for Florentine biscuits and nut brittles, usually a blend of sugar, glucose, butter, cream and pectin. It melts to a thick caramel that sets hard and crisp once baked and cooled. A homemade version can be made by boiling together equal parts sugar, glucose, butter and cream with a little pectin.
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550
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Pre-heat |
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and line a flat baking tray with a silicone mat or good baking paper. |
Tray must be flat, or the melted mix will run to one side |
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2 |
Melt |
Warm B (Florentine mix) in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until it is melted and just starting to bubble. |
Smooth, runny and evenly hot, with no dry grains left |
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3 |
Mix |
Take the pan off the heat and stir in A (almond meal) all at once, working quickly with a spatula. |
Every bit of almond meal coated, the mixture looking like damp sand |
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4 |
Spread |
Tip the warm mixture onto the lined tray and spread it out as thinly and evenly as you can with a palette knife or the back of a spoon. |
An even, thin layer; thick patches will stay soft in the middle |
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5 |
Bake |
Bake at 180°C (355°F) for about 10 to 15 minutes, turning the tray once for even colour. |
Bubbling all over and an even golden brown, darker at the edges |
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6 |
Level |
If the sheet has spread unevenly, press it flat straight out of the oven with a second sheet of baking paper and a flat tray. |
Work fast while it is still soft and pliable |
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7 |
Cool |
Leave the tray on a rack, undisturbed, until completely cold. |
Hard and brittle, lifting cleanly off the mat |
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8 |
Break |
Snap the sheet into shards, or chop and crush it to the size you need for coating or scattering. |
Crisp, dry pieces that snap rather than bend |
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9 |
Store |
Keep the pieces in an airtight container with a tight lid. |
Away from any moisture, or the caramel will soften and go sticky |
Important Notes
This half batch makes about 550 g of crackling, enough to cover one large baking tray in a thin sheet. Spread it as thinly as possible: the thinner the layer, the crisper and easier to break it is. Florentine mixes differ a little between brands, so if your packet gives a baking temperature, follow it. Work quickly once the almond meal goes in, as the mixture stiffens as it cools. Crackling is very sensitive to humidity and will go soft and chewy if left out; store it airtight, and it keeps crisp for several weeks. Crushed, it also makes a good crunch layer inside a cake, but add it just before serving so it does not soften against the cream.
Tools & Arrangements
Digital scales, medium saucepan, heatproof spatula, flat baking tray, silicone baking mat or baking paper, palette knife, second flat tray for pressing, cooling rack, rolling pin or knife for breaking up, airtight container.
