Frangipane is a sweet almond-flavored custard that is typical in French pastry and used in a variety of ways, including cakes and pastries such as the Bakewell tart, conversation tart, Jésuite, and pithivier. It is a mixture of butter, eggs, ground almonds, sugar, and usually a small amount of flour. Frangipane is not the same as marzipan, which is an almond-sugar paste that is denser and can be formed into decorative shapes and painted in bright colors. Frangipane is used as a filling for delicate pastries and is the main component of galette des rois or kings cake and Pithiviers, another traditional French dessert. It is also used as a layer in fruit tarts and can be spread on top of a syrupy French toast and sprinkled with sliced almonds before baking, forming a delicious, caramelized top. Frangipane is typically made with ground almonds, but it can be made with other ground nuts instead, such as pistachios or pecans.