Apricot Gâteau Pithiviers Recipes

APRICOT GâTEAU PITHIVIERS

Steps:

• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the egg and egg yolk. Stir in the almonds, flour and liqueur, and mix well to a spreadable paste.
• Roll out half the pastry and, using a sharp knife, cut out a circle approximately 25cm in diameter (use a dinner plate as a guide). It should be about the thickness of 2 x £1 coins. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut out another circle, slightly larger than the first. If you're using ready-rolled pastry, cut a circle from each sheet and freeze what's left.
• Place the smaller circle on a baking tray and top with half the almond filling, leaving a 2.5cm border round the edge. Spread the apricots over, then put the rest of the filling on top. Brush the border with beaten egg and set the remaining pastry circle on top, pressing the edges firmly together.
• With the back of a knife, score lines round the outer edge of the pastry. Now press the back of the knife 1cm into the pastry edge at regular intervals to give a scalloped appearance. Brush the top with more beaten egg and score curved lines radiating from the centre of the circle. Take care not to cut through the pastry. Chill for 20 mins. The tart can be made ahead and frozen at this point or kept in the fridge for 2 days.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Bake for 30-35 mins until puffed and golden. Leave to cool on a baking tray. To glaze, melt the jam in a small pan and pass through a sieve. Then brush over the pastry.

APRICOT PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat all cake ingredients except liqueur with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• Bake 22 to 28 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Brush liqueur over top of cake. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. To avoid cake crumbs when adding icing, freeze cake 1 hour before cutting.
• In large bowl, beat icing ingredients on low speed until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat on high speed until smooth. If necessary, add 2 to 3 teaspoons more apricot nectar until icing is pourable.
• Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch icing drips. Cut cake into 9 rows by 6 rows. Working with 6 pieces at a time, remove cake pieces from pan and place on cooling rack. Spoon icing evenly over top and sides of cake pieces, letting icing coat sides. (Icing that drips off can be reused.) Let stand until icing is set, about 2 hours.
• Decorate with almonds and orange peel as desired. Store in single layer in airtight plastic container.

PITHIVIERS

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.

APPLE PITHIVIER

Steps:

• 1. To make the apple butter: In a large saucepan, combine the apples, butter, sugar, and salt. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds directly into the pan (save the pods for adding to a canister of granulated sugar for vanilla sugar). Place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the apples break down and the mixture thickens and turns golden brown. The mixture will release a lot of water at first and bubble a lot and then it will slowly start to caramelize and get a bit darker; there may still be some pieces of whole apple, which is fine. Remove from the heat and let cool. (The apple butter can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.)
• 2. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. On a well-floured work surface, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle about 24 in/61 cm wide and 12 in/30.5 cm from top to bottom. The dough may seem pretty tough and difficult to roll out at first. Don't be afraid to be firm with the dough as you roll it into the rectangle, flip it upside down, turn it side to side, pound it with the rolling pin to flatten it. Use a chef's knife to trim away any rough edges. Then, using the knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough in half vertically. You should have two 12-in/30.5-cm squares.
• 3. Set one square aside and place the other square on the prepared baking sheet. In the center of the square, draw an 8-in/20-cm circle with your finger or lightly with a paring knife (without cutting all the way through). Using the offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the frangipane evenly on the pastry, filling just the circle. Top the frangipane with an even layer of the apple butter.
• 4. Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Using the pastry brush, brush some of the egg over the pastry around the circle.
• 5. Again on a well-floured surface, roll the second puff pastry square so that it is slightly larger than 12-in/30.5-cm square. Drape the second square directly over the top of the first square. Using your fingers, press firmly all around the edges of the pastry to seal the two squares together. There will be a big mound in the center where the frangipane and apple butter are. Again, using your fingers, press firmly all around the circle; you want to enclose the frangipane and apple butter as much as you can within the circle.
• 6. With a small paring knife, cut a scalloped petal pattern around the edge of the puff pastry to create a circle with a total of six or seven petals. Discard the puff pastry scraps (or save them for a quick treat: sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar and bake until golden. Refrigerate the pastry for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days to allow the puff to chill and relax. (If chilling for longer than 30 minutes, cover the pastry with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. At this point, you can also wrap the unbaked pastry well with plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 2 weeks.)
• 7. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• 8. Using the pastry brush, brush the entire top of the pastry, including the petals, with the remaining egg wash. Poke a hole in middle of the circular mound at the center of the pithivier and then, starting from the center of this hole, use the tip of the paring knife to trace a curved sun-ray pattern into the mound, spacing the rays 1/2 to 1 in/12 mm to 2.5 cm apart and covering the entire mound with the curved rays. You should have eighteen to twenty-four rays. Don't cut all the way through the puff; just lightly score the dough with the tip of the knife. Trace a crosshatch pattern on the petals.
• 9. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the dough is entirely golden brown and baked through. Look at the sides of the pithivier where the puff pastry has puffed up to make sure the sides are also golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the filling to cool. This pastry is best served the same day, but you can hold it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and then refresh it in a 300°F/150°C oven for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

PITHIVIERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add almond flour, 2 egg yolks, and rum; mix until frangipane is smooth.
• Roll out puff pastry sheets and cut into 2 equal circles. Place the first circle on the baking sheet and pierce several times with a fork. Spread frangipane on the circle, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
• Brush uncovered puff pastry edge with a little water and lay the second puff pastry circle on top. Seal the edges by pressing together.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a decorative pattern around the rim. Trace decorative lines onto the surface without cutting all the way through. Beat remaining egg yolk with a fork; brush over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until pastry is puffed up and lightly browned, about 20 minutes more.
• Remove from the oven and dust with confectioners' sugar.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Place pithiviers under the broiler and broil until a golden, shiny crust forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.

PITHIVIER

Steps:

• Cream butter and caster sugar in a small bowl until combined.
• Beat in egg yolk, ground almonds and rum.
• Cut the pastry sheet in half, placing one half on a buttered baking tray.
• Fill the centre with the almond filling and flatten out, leaving the edges clear.
• Top with the remaining pastry and press the edges together.
• Lightly score the top of the pastry with a sharp knife in a decorative pattern.
• Refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C for fanforced).
• Brush pastry with egg.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 180°C (160°C fan forced) and bake for a further 10 minutes.
• To give the pastry a crisp caramelised glaze sprinkle with white sugar and bake for another 5 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream as a dessert, or plain with coffee.

FRANGIPANE PITHIVIER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Mix 1 egg with water, set aside.
• Place almonds and sugar in food processor.
• Cover and pulse on and off until finely ground, about 1 minute.
• Add 1 egg and continue to pulse until smooth paste forms.
• Add butter, a little bit at a time, pulsing after each addition.
• Scrape down sides of bowl.
• Add remaining egg and pulse until smooth.
• Add flour and Amaretto and pulse until just blended.
• Unfold 1 pastry sheet.
• Place sheet in 9" tart pan.
• Top with almond mixture.
• Unfold remaining pastry sheet and place on top.
• Trim pastry sheet to fit.
• Crimp edges and cut decorative slits in top.
• Brush with egg mixture.
• Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in pan on wire rack.
• Serve with Chocolate Almond Sauce, if desired.*.
• *If using, divide amount of almonds in half and save one half to garnish the slices of the tart.

PITHIVIERS

Steps:

• Make the frangipane: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process almonds and sugar until mixture is very fine crumbs. With the machine running, add 2 egg yolks, butter, and rum; continue processing until mixture is smooth and combined.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out pastry dough into a rectangle at least 9 1/4 by 18 1/2 inches and about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 9-inch round cake pan as a guide, cut out two 9-inch rounds.
• In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg yolk and cream for the egg wash. Place one round on a baking sheet, and spread almond mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border all around; brush border with egg wash. Using an aspic or cookie cutter, cut a 1/2-inch hole in the center of remaining round; place cut round on top of other round, pressing lightly around filling to seal rounds together. Place in refrigerator 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove tart from refrigerator; using a small paring knife, score the top by making curved lines from the center to the edges like a pinwheel. Brush top of tart with the egg wash, being careful not to let any excess drip down over cut edge of dough, as it will inhibit proper rising. Return to refrigerator to chill again, if needed.
• Place baking sheet in oven, and bake 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees; loosely cover tart with aluminum foil, and continue cooking 30 minutes more.
• Transfer to a wire rack, and let sit 20 minutes. Remove tart from pan by sliding it onto a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.