Dessert Recipes - Gateau Pithiviers Recipe

Ingredients

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup ground almonds

• A few drops of almond essence (extract)

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 40 g/1 1/2 oz/3 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter, softened

• 2 egg yolks

• 30 ml/2 tbsp orange flower water

• 225 g/8 oz puff pastry (paste), thawed if frozen

• 1 egg, beaten

• Icing sugar, for dusting

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Method:

1. Beat together the ground almonds, a few drops of almond essence, the sugar, butter, egg yolks and enough orange flower water to form a pale paste.

2. Cut off a third of the puff pastry. Roll out to a round about 18 cm/7 in and place on a dampened baking (cookie) sheet.

3. Roll out the larger piece of pastry to a round the same size, but twice as thick. Spread the almond paste in the centre of the thinner pastry round on the baking sheet.

4. Brush all round the edge with water. Place the second piece of pastry on top. Brush with beaten egg to glaze and score the top with the back of a knife in a criss-cross pattern.

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust the top with icing sugar.

6. Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until caramelized. This can be served warm or cold.