King Cake with Frangipane

Ingredients

• 2 rolls (≈500 g) Thick puff pastry (prefer thick, 25 cm diameter)
• 125 ml Whole milk (for the pastry cream)
• 30 g Granulated sugar (for the pastry cream)
• 100 g Granulated sugar (for the almond cream)
• 1 bean or 1 tsp Vanilla bean or extract (or vanilla sugar)
• 15 g Cornstarch (for the pastry cream)
• 1 units Egg yolk (for the pastry cream)
• 110 g Unsalted butter (100 g for the frangipane, 10 g for the pastry cream)
• 2 small Eggs (for the almond cream)
• 100 g Almond powder (for the frangipane)
• 1 tsp Liquid fresh cream (for the glaze (or milk))
• 20 g Sugar (syrup) (for the glaze)
• 20 g Water (syrup) (for the glaze)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pastry cream

   In a bowl, mix the milk, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch and egg yolk. Pour the mixture into a saucepan off the heat, stir, then place over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Low heat

2. Incorporate the butter into the pastry cream

   Remove the saucepan from the heat, add 10 g of unsalted butter and mix until fully dissolved. Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover in contact with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

   Time: PT10M

3. Prepare the frangipane

   In a large bowl, cream 100 g of softened butter with 100 g of sugar until a pale paste forms. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well. Incorporate 100 g of almond powder, then add 140 g of cooled pastry cream. Mix until a homogeneous texture is achieved without incorporating too much air.

   Time: PT10M

4. Prepare the pastry discs

   On a lightly floured work surface, cut two circles of puff pastry 25 cm in diameter. Moisten the edge of the first disc with a little water (about 2 cm from the edge) to facilitate sealing.

   Time: PT5M

5. Fill the first disc

   Pour the frangipane in the centre of the first disc leaving a 2 cm border. Smooth the surface with a spatula.

   Time: PT5M

6. Assemble and seal the cake

   Place the second pastry disc on the filling. Lightly moisten the edges, then press firmly to seal. Trim the excess and decorate the edges with a knife or fingers.

   Time: PT5M

7. Chill the cake

   Place the assembled cake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes so the puff pastry stays cold before baking.

   Time: PT20M

8. Glaze and decorate

   Beat the egg yolk with the fresh cream (or a little milk). Brush the surface of the cake, avoiding the edges. Decorate with patterns (spikes, stripes, etc.) using a brush or a fork.

   Time: PT5M

9. Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C using static heat (no fan).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 200°C

10. Bake the cake

    Bake the cake on the lower rack and cook 30‑35 minutes until the pastry is golden and the frangipane is set. At the end of baking, lightly pierce the centre with a skewer to release steam.

    Time: PT35M

    Temperature: 200°C

11. Apply the shine syrup

    In a small saucepan, bring 20 g of sugar and 20 g of water to a boil for 5 minutes. Brush the still‑warm cake with this syrup to give it shine.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Medium heat

12. Let cool and serve

    Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, then cut into 8 equal slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

725

Protein

8 g

Carbohydrates

41 g

Fat

44 g

Fiber

5 g