It’s been a while since I posted anything. I must admit that I’ve been stuck in a rut lately and felt greatly uninspired. I felt lazy and only wanted to stay in familiar and safe territory. But a week or two ago, I decided to give myself a big kick in the butt and start exploring new recipes. I still had a great deal of almond flour in my pantry, as well as puff pastry sheets in the fridge, so I decided to make my own pithivier.
Full disclosure, I am still being lazy here as I used store bought puff pastry sheets instead of making my own, but I know my limitations and puff pastry is one of them. Though I am all about exploring new territory, I am not into setting myself up for failure.
Anyhow. What’s a pithivier, you ask? It’s originally a French pastry made of puff pastry stuffed with a sweet filling, usually frangipane, but it later diversified, with different sweet and savory fillings. In my opinion, however, the almond pithivier is the only one that matters. It’s basically very simple to make but its appearance makes it look intimidating and we assume it’s a hassle to prepare. The key ingredient, really, is dexterity.
Almond pithivier
Makes 8 portions
Ingredients
2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg and 2 yolks, separated
1 1/3 cup almond flour
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp rum
powdered sugar, for dusting
directions
Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Roll out the puff pastry sheets and cut out a disk in each one. One disk has to be larger than the other. Mine measured 20 and 15 cm. Place each disk on a tray and refrigerate for approximately 20 minutes.
While the disks chill in the fridge, prepare the almond cream.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and one yolk, until combined.
Add the rum, then than flour and almond flour. Mix until combined.
Remove the disks from the fridge.
Spoon a generous amount of almond filling at the center of the larger disk, leaving a 5 cm border around the edge. The filling must form a little mound at the center.
Beat the remaining egg yolk in a small bowl with a little bit of water, and brush it around the border.
Lay the smaller disk on top of the filling and press its borders down.
Lift the lower disk’s border up, and carefully fold it over the smaller disk. Make small folds, pinch them between your fingers and press them down, like you would a pie crust.
The filling has to be sealed inside the puff pastry sheets.
With a sharp knife, make a small hole in the center.
Put the pithivier in the fridge for approximately 20 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven at 400°.
Remove the pithivier from the fridge and brush the egg yolk over its surface.
With the tip of a sharp knife, draw arcs in the top pastry sheet, starting at the center and going toward the outer edge. Make sure you’re not piercing through the sheets, though!
Make sure the filling is sealed under the puff pastry and then put it in the oven for 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Turn the heat down to 350° and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the pithivier from the oven, turn the heat back up to 400° and dust the pastry with powdered sugar. Bake for another few minutes (4-5 minutes, tops), until the sugar has caramelized and the pastry is glossy.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.
For extra indulgence, I like to eat my pithivier with a few spoonfuls of good vanilla ice cream!
Variations
The rum definitely gives the pastry some personality, but if you don’t like the smell or taste of it, just leave it out, but use some almond extract instead (1/2 tsp), for extra flavor.
From then on, use whatever filling you like. Almond is a super versatile flavor that can be combined with any fruit. Pear, apple, peach are all winners.
Also, you cannot lose with chocolate chips!
Have fun and enjoy!
