Chocolate Almond Croissant-Inspired Bars Recipe | Buttery Shortbread | Chocolate Glaze
If you love chocolate almond croissants, you're going to love these Chocolate Almond Croissant-inspired Bars. With a buttery shortbread base, MOIST homemade frangipane filling, a crumbly top layer, sliced almonds and a DELICIOUS chocolate glaze, these bars are incredibly flavorful and surprisingly easy to make. I think you will love them!
Equipment
- 1 9×9 baking pan
- 1 Electric mixer (optional)
- 1 Parchment paper
- 2 Medium mixing bowls
- 1 Heat proof bowl
- 1 Silicon Spatula
- 1 Medium Sauce Pan
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup superfine white sugar (Also known as baker's or caster sugar)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sliced almonds (for topping)
For the Frangipane
- 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 room temperature eggs
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional)
- 1/4 cup warm heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper.
- Cream together: In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup superfine white sugar, cream together until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Press and Chill: Press about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan, reserving the remaining dough for the top layer. Refrigerate all of the crust for 15 minutes before baking.
- Par Bake: Bake the crust in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until it's very lightly golden and no longer shiny on top. Avoid baking until golden brown, as it will be baked again. Allow crust to cool slightly while prepping the filling.
Frangipane
- Combine: To a medium bowl add 1/2 cup softened butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and 1 cup sugar until creamy. Add 2 room temperature eggs and mix again until well combined. Add 2 cups almond flour and 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, mix again until fully combined into a creamy paste.
Assemble and Bake
- Layer: Spread the frangipane on top of the parbaked shortbread crust in an even layer. Crumble the remaining shortbread on top of the frangipane in an even layer. Sprinkle 1 cup sliced almonds on top of the crumble.
- Bake: Bake on 350°F (175°C) for about 35-37 minutes or until you see browned edges and some of the almonds begin to turn a shade darker. As oven temperatures can vary, it's a good idea to check on the Almond Croissant Bars before the 35-minute mark too.
- Cool down: Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool until the bars are room temperature (this may take a few hours). It's important for these bars to set, so feel free to pop them in the fridge if you need them to cool down faster. While they cool, make the chocolate glaze.
Chocolate Glaze
- Melt: In a heat-proof bowl, combine 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon instant coffee powderPlace the bowl on top of a saucepan filled halfway with water to create a double boiler setup over medium heat, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir frequently until the chocolate and butter have melted completely. Use hot pads to carefully remove the bowl from the heat as it will be extremely hot.
- Whisk in: Add 1/4 cup warm heavy cream1 tablespoon sugar to the bowl with the chocolate mixture. Using a whisk, mix the ingredients together until smooth and well combined. Add 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extractmix again until fully incorporated.
- Glaze: Pour the warm chocolate glaze over the cooled Almond Croissant Bars. The glaze will be runny while hot, creating a glossy finish. For a slower drip effect, allow the glaze to cool for a few minutes before pouring. You can drizzle glaze over the entire pan of bars OR drizzle over individual pre-cut bars for the full drip effect. Enjoy!
Notes
These Chocolate Almond Croissant Bars are best served at room temperature. This is important because the shortbread is buttery and can get hard if served cold.
To make these bars ahead of time, cover and store them in the fridge. Then take them out and let them get back to room temperature before serving.
While it’s hard to wait, I recommend letting these bars set fully before slicing. Frangipane filling needs time to cool and set so it’s best to plan ahead.
Enjoy!
I recommend this recipe. It was very delicious. I enjoyed time preparing it. My mom and I love It.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Isabel. I am so glad you enjoyed the chocolate almond croissant bars!
-Dee