Custard & Almond Pretzel Pastry Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 0.5 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp instant yeast so the yeast is evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Cut 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch cubes and toss into the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces (some larger bits remain for flakiness). Keep everything cold.

Add liquids

Stir together 0.25 cup cold whole milk and 0.25 cup cold water. Drizzle the liquid into the flour-butter mixture and mix with a fork until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork; you should still see streaks of butter. If the dough is too dry, add up to 1-2 tbsp additional cold water, 1 tbsp at a time.

Chill dough

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured sheet, press into a 1-inch thick disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 45–60 minutes to firm the butter and relax the gluten.

Roll and cut

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to a 12x10-inch rectangle and about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cutter (or a knife), cut out rounds (about 10–12). Re-roll scraps once if needed; keep dough cold between rolls.

Assemble pastry base

Place the rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Using your fingers, gently press a shallow well in the center of each round, creating a border to hold the custard. Chill assembled rounds 10 minutes while preparing custard and topping.

Egg wash

Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water to make an egg wash. Lightly brush the exposed dough border on each pastry round to promote golden color.

Heat milk

In a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups whole milk over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles form at the edges but does not boil. Remove from heat.

Mix yolks and starch

In a bowl, whisk together 3 large egg yolks, 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 3 tbsp cornstarch until smooth and pale.

Temper and thicken

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Then pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Return to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and just starts to bubble, about 3–5 minutes.

Finish custard

Remove from heat, whisk in 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin, and chill until cool but still pipeable, about 20–30 minutes.

Pipe into pastry

Once the custard has cooled slightly, transfer to a piping bag or spoon. Fill each chilled pastry well with about 2–3 tbsp custard, leaving the dough border clear. Do not overfill.

Toast almonds

While the custard chills, toast 0.5 cup almond slices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool.

Prepare topping mix

In a small bowl, combine the toasted almonds, 1 tbsp light brown sugar (optional), 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt (or pretzel salt) and 1 tbsp melted unsalted butter. Toss to coat — the butter will help the almonds adhere to the custard surface and the sugar will lightly caramelize in the oven.

Top pastries

Evenly sprinkle or gently press about 1 tbsp of the almond-pretzel topping onto the custard of each assembled pastry. Ensure the border remains clean.

Bake

Bake the filled pastries in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 14–18 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the topping is glossy. Watch closely so the almonds do not overbrown.

Finish

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack. If desired, dust lightly with 1 tbsp powdered sugar once cooled 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.