Ingredients

Classic Puff Pastry

• 500 g Blédor Farathas  

• 50 g unsalted butter

• 10 g salt

• 250 ml cold water

• 350 g cold unsalted butter, flattened between two sheets of baking paper

Almond cream

• 100 g soft butter

• 100 g icing sugar

• 100 g almond powder

• 2 eggs

• 1 vanilla pod

• 1 tbsp dark rhum (optional)

• 50 g custard cream (optional for a smoother result!)

Preparation

Puff pastry

• Dice the butter into small cubes in a bowl and knead it with a fork. Let it soften at room temperature. In the meantime, prepare the puff pastry.
• Dissolve the salt into the water.
• Put the flour in a bowl with a well in the centre and gradually pour the water. Work the paste manually, vigorously, until a rough dough is obtained.
• Leave it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes, covered with a cloth, at room temperature.
• Start working the dough with the butter. Roll it with a rolling pin, leaving the middle a little thicker.
• Place the butter on the thick part of the paste and close it with the edges by bending them towards the centre.
• Roll the dough to an elongated rectangle, taking care that the butter does not escape. Fold the rectangle in three (left side to the middle and right side on the two-thirds already overlaid. Rotate the rectangle 90° and fold in the middle.
• Allow to rest for 20 minutes and resume the operation: fold three, half-turn, and fold in two.
• Repeat folding a third time.
• The dough may be immediately used.

Almond cream

• Mix the butter with a spoon in a large Stir in the icing sugar and mix Then incorporate the almond powder.
• Beat the two eggs and gradually add them, to the butter/ground almond/sugar mixture, still stirring, Add the vanilla and the rhum (optional), as well as 50 g of cream (optional for a creamier consistency).
• Set aside in the fridge until thickening.

Assembling the Epiphany Cake

• Roll out a 25cm circle of puff pastry on a baking tray lined with baking paper With a spoon or a piping bag, fill with the almond cream, leaving 1.5 to 2 cm of edge Hide a bean, moisten the edge of the dough with a brush and water, and cover with a second circle of dough, pressing down on the edges to seal them together. Brush with a beaten egg, then refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
• With a thin-bladed knife, draw patterns on the cake without piercing it, just 1- or 2-mm. Bake in a hot oven (180°C, fan if you have), for 45 to 60 minutes. The cake should be golden brown all over.