King Cake / Classic Puff Pastry

In a skillet, toast together the almond meal, whole almonds and flour to light brown color. Let cool and blend to coarse meal in the food processor, and transfer powders in a bowl. Meanwhile, in the food processor cream butter and salt. Throw in the toasted powders along with sugar. Add the egg and flavoring; blend and set aside. Use almond cream at room temperature. If you prefer frangipane, fold 30 percent of chilled pastry cream into the almond cream. Though, use 70% of frangipane filling for the king cake.

Cut out the classic puff pastry pâton into 4 equal portions (Watch video). Save 2 for the cake. Roll out puff pastry into 0.14''/3mm thick sheets; chill to rest for about 20 minutes, or freeze for later use. For best handling: keep puff pastry sheets half frozen prior using. Lay one puff pastry sheet onto a baking tray lined with a silicone mat, or parchment. Use the inside frame of a 9.5''(23/24cm) diameter fluted tart pan, and pipe out almond cream into a 8.5''/22 cm disk. Add a trinket is desired. Remove tart pan and moisturize the pastry edges with water. Enclose pie with the second pastry sheet. Press down to seal, and chill for 20 min. Use tart pan frame to cut it out just like a cookie cutter. Save scraps for your next apple pie. Freeze king cake for 20 min and flip; so the bottom becomes the top; this trick helps the pie to rise more evenly. If not using fluted tart pan frame, scallop the pastry border using the back of the knife. Brush the top of the galette all over with egg wash, then chill the galette in the fridge for 30 minutes; egg wash a second time. Score using the tip of a pairing knife in bias. Chill for a couple of hours prior baking, or best overnight. At this juncture, the king cake can also be kept frozen for up to 3 months.

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC. A pizza stone is recommended. Lower temperature to 350ºF/180ºC if using a convection oven. Place four 1.75''/4.5cm height pastry rings or something similar. After 20 minutes baking, top cake with parchment paper and an upside down wire rack. Bake for another 30 minutes. For a glossy finish, dust cake lightly with powdered sugar and place in the oven at 550ºF/290ºC for about 3 min. Or, brush out cake with simple syrup right after baking. Cool to room temperature – Enjoy!