Called crème d’amande in French, this mixture (which isn’t a cream as we normally think of one) is at the heart of so many patisserie classics. A mixture of ground almonds – although you could use other nuts (pistachios and skinned hazelnuts are popular alternatives) – butter, sugar and egg, it’s the traditional filling for a baked fruit tart, galette des Rois, snail-like raisin bun or almond croissant, and it can be used to top a dessert gratin.
Almond cream is always baked. If you want to make a dessert with cream and fresh fruit, choose pastry cream. And if you want to make this cream with chocolate, scroll down to PLAYING AROUND. And here's a recipe for pistachio cream.