"If I could pinpoint when I first gained sentience, it would be about 15-something years ago - when I first bit into an almond croissant. Sure I'd had other tasty desserts beforehand, but none as decadent and taste-defining as my first almond croissant. I could look back and define this time in my life as B.C. (before croissant) and A.C. (after croissant); that's how monumental this moment was for me."
"It was only a few years ago, when I was studying abroad in London - the peak time in my life when I would actively seek out all of almond-infused desserts I could find - that I found myself in a specialty grocer and realized that I could be implementing it into my own everyday baking with one simple ingredient: almond paste."
A first almond croissant sparked a lasting preference for almond-flavored desserts and frequent craving for almond pastries. Studying abroad in London led to discovering almond paste and using it widely in homemade baking, including pancakes. Almond paste typically combines equal parts ground almonds and sugar with a liquid binder such as water, rosewater, syrup, almond extract, or sometimes egg whites. Regional versions vary; Swedish mandelmassa adds simple syrup, water, and alcohol. Almond paste is used as a filling or topping in baked goods, whereas marzipan is fondant-like and moldable; almond paste is not recommended to eat raw.
Read at Apartment Therapy
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