A Simply Delicious Christmas with Darina Allen and Rory O'Connell is on RTÉ One tonight, Wednesday 14th of December at 7:30pm.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry:
- 225g (8oz) flour
- 225g (8oz) butter
- pinch of salt
- water, approx. 150ml (5fl oz)
Filling
- 110g (4oz) ground almonds
- 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
- 45g (1 1/2oz) melted butter
- 2 egg yolks, preferably free range
- 2 tablespoons double cream
- 1 dessertspoon rum (optional)
- egg wash made with 1 beaten egg and a tiny pinch of salt
Glaze
- icing sugar
To Serve:
- crème fraîche or softly whipped cream
Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.
Divide the pastry in half, roll out just less than 1/4 inch thick, cut into 2 circles approx. 25.5cm (10 inch) in diameter. Put one onto a damp baking sheet, chill and chill the other piece also.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a bowl until smooth. Put the filling onto the pastry base, leaving a rim of about 2.5cm (1 inch) free around the edge. Brush the rim with beaten egg or water and put on the lid of puff pastry, press it down well around the edges. Flute the edges with a knife.
Make a small hole in the centre brush with egg wash and leave for 5 minutes in the refrigerator. With the back of a knife, nick the edge of the pastry 12 times at regular intervals to form a scalloped edge with a rose petal effect. Mark long curving lines from the central hole outwards to designate formal petals. Be careful not to cut through the pastry just score it.*
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the heat to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for 30 minutes approx. While still hot dredge heavily with icing sugar and return to a very hot oven or pop under a grill (Do Not Leave the Grill) - the sugar will melt and caramelize to a dark brown glaze. Serve warm or cold with a bowl of crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.
Note: Gateau Pithivier is best eaten warm, but it also keeps well and may be reheated.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas Mark 8.
- Divide the pastry in half, roll out just less than 1/4 inch thick, cut into 2 circles approx. 25.5cm (10 inch) in diameter. Put one onto a damp baking sheet, chill and chill the other piece also.
- Mix all the ingredients for the filling together in a bowl until smooth. Put the filling onto the pastry base, leaving a rim of about 2.5cm (1 inch) free around the edge. Brush the rim with beaten egg or water and put on the lid of puff pastry, press it down well around the edges. Flute the edges with a knife.
- Make a small hole in the centre brush with egg wash and leave for 5 minutes in the refrigerator. With the back of a knife, nick the edge of the pastry 12 times at regular intervals to form a scalloped edge with a rose petal effect. Mark long curving lines from the central hole outwards to designate formal petals. Be careful not to cut through the pastry just score it.*
- Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then lower the heat to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and bake for 30 minutes approx. While still hot dredge heavily with icing sugar and return to a very hot oven or pop under a grill (Do Not Leave the Grill) - the sugar will melt and caramelize to a dark brown glaze. Serve warm or cold with a bowl of crème fraîche or softly whipped cream.
Note: Gateau Pithivier is best eaten warm, but it also keeps well and may be reheated.
A Simply Delicious Christmas with Darina Allen and Rory O'Connell is on RTÉ Player now. Recipe taken from ‘A Simply Delicious Christmas’ published by Gill Books.
