PITHIVIERS CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the Puff Pastry.
• Make the frangipane: In the bowl of a food processor, blend the almonds and the sugar until very fine. Add the butter, egg, rum, flour, and almond extract and process until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a 6-inch round. Freeze until firm, at least 45 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle about 18 by 9 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Using a 9-inch cake pan as a guide, cut two 9-inch rounds from the dough with a very sharp paring knife or pastry wheel. Using a 1-inch circular biscuit cutter or a large round pastry tip, cut out a steam vent from the center of the top round. Place rounds on a baking sheet and freeze until very firm but still pliable, about 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and heavy cream for the egg wash.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from freezer. Place frozen frangipane round in the center of the bottom dough circle. Brush the border with egg wash, taking special care not to let the egg wash drip down the sides, which would inhibit proper puffing during baking. Place the second round on top, and press to seal, using your fingers. Using a small paring knife, score the top of each Pithivier in a circular, decorative cross-hatch pattern. With a small paring knife, score around edges in 1/4-inch increments. Transfer Pithiviers to a baking sheet sprayed well with water and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Remove Pithiviers from freezer. Brush top with egg wash, again being careful not to let any excess drip down over cut edge of dough. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Transfer Pithiviers to a wire rack, and let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
• Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface or Silpat. If pastry cracks when unfolding, sprinkle the crack with water and press the edges together to seal. If necessary, use a rolling pin to roll the pastry sheet to 9 inches wide.
• Cut pastry sheets into two 9-inch circles. (Use a round 9-inch cake pan as a guide.) Place one puff pastry round on the parchment lined baking sheet and place a sheet of parchment on top.
• Place the second pastry round on top of the parchment. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator while you make the frangipane.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, which takes about 3 minutes. Add the almond flour and beat on medium speed until thoroughly blended, which will be about 1 minute.
• Add the egg and mix on low speed until blended. Add the all-purpose flour, lemon paste, almond extract, and salt, and beat just until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Remove one pastry round from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface or Silpat, use a piping tip or any sharp kitchen tool to cut a 1 inch circle or hole in the center of the round.
• Using a small paring knife, starting from the center of the hole, score a sun-ray decorative pattern on the top round. You only want to cut through the top layers of the pastry.
• Don’t cut it all the way through the pastry. Return pastry to the refrigerator while oven preheats.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Remove both pastry rounds from the refrigerator. Place the bottom round on parchment paper or Silpat in the center of the baking tray.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the heavy cream to create an egg wash. Brush a 1-inch border on the bottom round with the egg wash.
• Be careful not to let the egg wash drip down the sides, which could interfere with the puff pastry rising during baking.
• Place the frangipane in the center of the bottom round. Carefully center the top round on top of the frangipane. Use your fingers to gently seal the edges of the top round to the bottom round.
• With the back of a knife, score the outer edge of the pastry at regular intervals to create a scalloped edge.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the entire top of the pastry with the remaining egg wash. Be careful not to let the egg wash drip down the sides, which could interfere with the puff pastry rising during baking.
• Bake until puffed and golden brown, which takes about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Transfer Pithivier to a wire rack, and let cool at least at least 1 hour before serving. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Pithiviers are best served the day they are baked. However, keep it in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days. To refresh it, bake it at 300 degrees F for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.