Pithiviers (Puff Pastry with Almond Filling)
Serves 6
Ingredients
Method
Take a small bowl and add the ground almonds and sugar and give a good mix. In a large bowl cream the butter until creamy and add the almond mixture, eggs and rum.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF / 215ºC
Flour your work top and halve your puff pastry. Take the first half and roll out into a circle about 28-30cm in diameter. Using a dinner plate or something similar cut out a round circle with the knife completely upright. This helps the pastry layers to rise. Do the same with the second piece of puff pastry.
Grease a baking sheet and lay the first circle on the sheet. Spread the almond mixture onto the the pastry disc leaving 1.5cm all around the edge clear.
Now lay the second circle of pastry on top of the first and press the edges together all the way around so they will stick together.
Beat the egg yolk and the milk together and brush all over the top of the pastry. Taking a sharp knife and using the tip draw a shallow line from the edge of the circle in a curve to the centre and repeat all the way around the circle so that the lines are the same distance apart.
Bake for 30 minutes, sprinkle the top with icing sugar and place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes or until golden in colour. Serve warm.