Puff Pastry Cake With Almond Cream Recipes

ALMOND PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour and salt; cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons cold water; stir with a fork until blended. Shape dough into a ball; divide in half. Place dough 3 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet; pat each into a 12x3-in. rectangle., In a large saucepan, bring remaining butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in extract and remaining flour until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. , Spread over rectangles. Bake at 400° until topping is lightly browned, 18-20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire racks., For frosting, in a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, water and extract; beat until smooth. Spread over pastries; sprinkle with almonds.

PUFF PASTRY TART FILLED WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Purée almond paste, granulated sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until smooth. Add 1 egg, vanilla, and almond extract and purée until incorporated. Add flour and pulse until incorporated.
• Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into an 11 1/2-inch square on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, then brush off excess flour from both sides. Cut out an 11-inch round by tracing around an inverted plate with tip of a paring knife. Transfer round to a buttered large baking sheet (not dark metal, or pastry may brown too much), discarding trimmings, and chill. Repeat procedure with second pastry sheet, leaving round on floured surface.
• Beat remaining egg with a fork and brush some over top of second round. Score round decoratively all over using tip of knife, then make several small slits all the way through pastry, at about 2-inch intervals, to create steam vents.
• Brush some of egg in a 1-inch-wide border around edge of chilled pastry round (on baking sheet). Mound almond cream in center of chilled round, spreading slightly, and bury bean in cream. Immediately cover with decorated round and press edges together lightly. Holding a small spoon with side at an angle, press around edge to seal galette decoratively.
• Bake galette in lower third of oven until puffed and pale golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Dust galette with confectioners sugar and bake in upper third of oven until edge is deep golden brown and shiny, 12 to 15 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve warm.

GALETTE DES ROIS - PUFF PASTRY CAKE WITH ALMOND CREAM

Steps:

• 1 Thaw the ready-made puff pastry or make it at home. I prepared it the evening before, following the extra-quick puff pastry recipe on my website.
• 2 In a bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, almond flour, 1 egg and vanilla extract.
• 3 Beat well, then set aside, this will be the frangipane for the galette des rois.
• 4 With a rolling pin, roll out the homemade puff pastry into a big rectangular sheet, of about 60x28cm and 4-5mm thick. If you are using ready-made pastry, you just need to slightly adjust the size. Use a lid or a large plate, about 28-30cm in diameter, to cut the sheet into 2 rounds.
• 5 Put one round on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon the almond mixture and spread over evenly with a spoon within 1cm from the edges.
• 6 Press a nut, an almond, a bean or a 'feve' down into the filling.
• 7 Cover with the other round of pastry, gently press the edges to seal.
• 8 Use a pen or the blunt side of a knife to make a fringe pattern in the margins.
• 9 Beat the other egg with a fork and brush the galette. Refrigerate in the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
• 10 Remove from the fridge and brush again with eggwash.
• 11 Use the tip of the knife to trace some strips across the top of the pastry - usually 3 big horizontal lines crossed by several oblique lines.
• 12 Then, somewhere in the middle, make 3-4 holes to release the steam in the baking process.
• 13 Bake the cake in the preheated oven to 180 degrees C for 40-45 minutes, until nice golden brown. Then let cool on the table.
• 14 I liked it best when it was warm or reheated the next day in theclassic oven or the microwave. The puff pastry goes so well with the frangipane and you will surely savour every bit. Enjoy!