This breakfast pastry is an Indian spin on the traditional almond croissant. Badam halwa, an Indian saffron fudge, is spread in the middle of a store-bought mini-croissant and topped with slivered almonds and powdered sugar.
Indian breakfast fusion
I know that folks hate the word fusion when it comes to food but that is how I ate growing up. Mixing classic Indian dishes with things that I either grew up eating in the United States or seasonal produce is what this blog is all about. This recipe is all about combining the love of of the Indian dessert badam (Ba-tha-hm) halwa with one of my favorite bakery staples, the almond croissant.
What is Badam Halwa?
Badam (Ba-tha-hm) halwa is an Indian warm fudge made with badam (almonds), saffron, milk, and butter. It is traditionally eaten on its own as dessert or can even be eaten for breakfast in a dish called halwa poori, which consists of a fried bread and halwa. This dish is reminiscent of halwa poori, but is a fusion of a French bakery staple, the croissant, with the South Indian style badam halwa. It tastes like a twice baked almond croissant with notes of saffron in the gooey center from the badam halwa.
Ingredients
This recipe is one that is fairly simple. It uses store bought croissants to make brunch so easy to put together. Here are the ingredients and substitutes:
- Badam Halwa with almond flour
- Store bought mini croissants - You can alternatively buy regular-sized croissants or buy two sheets of puff pastry and spread almond halwa in the center before baking.
- Sliced or Slivered Almonds
- Powdered Sugar
Overview of assembling semi-homemade croissants
1.Buy store-bought croissants
2.Make badam halwa
3. Spread almond halwa evenly in the center
4. Spread halwa on top of croissant
5. Press slivered or sliced almonds on top
6. Bake and sprinkle with powdered sugar
7. Enjoy!
Almond filling with no egg
Traditionally, the almond filling for almond croissants is made with a paste or frangipane that contains eggs. If you are trying to avoid egg or prep the filling days in advance, then using this almond halwa in the center is the answer to your problem. The halwa is made with almond flour and flavored with a combo of saffron and cardamom to impart the rich and delicious flavors of an Indian dish.
Making this recipe without an oven
I know that certain readers in India don't have an oven at home. For those readers, you can absolutely make this recipe without an oven. The main reason that the almond croissant goes into the oven is to get the sliced almonds toasted. You can simply toast the almonds on the stove and place them on top of the croissant instead of having to twice bake the croissants. This is possible because the almond halwa filling does not have any egg, so it can be eaten as is!
Breakfast recipes that pair well
If you are looking to host your next Indian fusion brunch, here are some breakfast recipes that pair well with these croissants:
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this recipe vegan, use puff pastry sheets and replace the butter and milk in the recipe with vegan substitutes. You can spread the halwa in between two sheets of puff pastry and bake!
You can make the halwa up to a week in advance and store it in the fridge. Simply rewarm the halwa in the microwave for 30 seconds until it is warm enough to spread easily.
Nope! The almond halwa filling does not have eggs so this recipe doesn't need baking. You can simply spread the halwa on the croissant and eat as well!
This recipe uses mini croissants that are found in local grocery stores. However, you can use larger croissants as well; it will just make a fewer number of croissants overall.
Yes! You can spread the halwa in between two sheets of puff pastry and bake!
Badam Halwa Croissants (Indian Style Almond Croissants)
Ingredients
- 12 store-bought mini croissants
- 1 ¼ cups homemade badam halwa
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (Optional) for dusting
Instructions
- This recipe depends on making the badam halwa recipe here. If you haven't done so, make that first!
- Use a serrated knife to cut croissants in half horizontally.
- Spread ~1 tablespoon of halwa in the middle of one half of the croissant making sure to to spread from edge to edge using a butter knife. If the halwa was premade and is cool, preheat it in the microwave for 30 seconds to warm the halwa so it is easier to spread.
- Press one half of the croissant to the other half to close it shut.
- Spread a thin layer of halwa on the top of the croissant and press a few sliced almonds onto the halwa.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the the croissants on the middle rack for ~5-7 minutes or until the almonds are a light brown.
- Allow the croissants to slightly cool. Add powder sugar to a fine mesh tea strainer or sifter. Lightly tap the sifter to sprinkle the tops of the croissant with powdered sugar.
- Enjoy for breakfast or brunch along with a cup of masala chai
Shri Repp
A delicious semi-homemade Indian riff on a bakery classic!