King cake with orange blossom water, honey and almonds

Ingredients

• 2 sheets Pure butter puff pastry (Keep refrigerated until use)
• 100 g Unsalted butter (Should be soft, remove from refrigerator 30 min beforehand)
• 100 g Honey (Replaces sugar, adds a slight floral note)
• 125 g Almond powder (Sift to avoid lumps)
• 2 units Eggs (Whole, to be incorporated into the almond cream)
• 1 unit Egg yolk (for glazing) (Mix with 1 tablespoon of water)
• 15 ml Orange blossom water (About 1 tablespoon)
• 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon (Just a pinch, do not dominate the flavor)
• 30 g Chopped almonds (For decorating the edge)
• 10 g Powdered sugar (To dust after baking)

Instructions

1. Soften the butter

   Take the butter out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until pliable.

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare the almond cream

   In a bowl, mash the softened butter with the honey until you get a homogeneous paste. Add the orange blossom water, the two whole eggs, a pinch of cinnamon and the almond powder. Mix until the mixture is smooth and does not flow.

   Time: PT5M

3. Rest the almond cream

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so the cream firms up slightly.

   Time: PT20M

4. Prepare the puff pastry

   Take the two sheets of puff pastry out of the freezer, let them rest 5 minutes in the fridge so they are workable but still cold.

   Time: PT5M

5. Assemble the cake

   Roll out the first sheet on the work surface. Spread the almond cream in the centre leaving a 2 cm free border. Lightly brush the border with a little water. Place the second sheet on top, seal the edges by pressing with your fingers, cut off the excess and smooth the surface, chasing out air bubbles.

   Time: PT5M

6. First chill

   Place the assembled cake on a tray lined with parchment paper and put it in the freezer for 15 minutes so it firms up before glazing.

   Time: PT15M

7. Glazing and decoration

   Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the surface of the cake with this mixture. Sprinkle the chopped almonds around the edge and draw fine patterns with a knife.

   Time: PT5M

8. Final rest before baking

   Return the cake to the freezer for 12 minutes so it is firm before going into the oven.

   Time: PT12M

9. Baking

   Bake the cake at 190 °C for 40 minutes until the pastry is well golden and flaky.

   Time: PT40M

   Temperature: 190°C

10. Finishing and rest

    Take the cake out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

340

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

26 g

Fat

22 g

Fiber

1.5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Pure butter puff pastry: Puff pastry without butter, Shortcrust pastry
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine, Half-salt butter
• Instead of Honey: Sugar (125 g), Agave syrup
• Instead of Almond powder: Ground almonds, Almond flour
• Instead of Eggs: Organic chicken eggs
• Instead of Egg yolk (for glazing): Milk, Beaten whole egg
• Instead of Orange blossom water: Vanilla extract, Rose water
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: Nutmeg, Cardamom
• Instead of Chopped almonds: Chopped walnuts, Chopped pistachios
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Fine granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk or fork
• Kitchen scale
• Measuring spoons
• Pastry brush
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Freezer or very cold refrigerator compartment
• Oven

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Mix the butter with the honey until you get a homogeneous paste
• Seal the two sheets of puff pastry properly
• Observe the chilling times before baking
• Apply a glaze made from diluted egg yolk
• Bake at 190 °C for 40 minutes

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter for the puff pastry to achieve optimal flakiness.
• Sift the almond cream before putting it in the pastry bag to avoid lumps.
• Make a small hole in the centre of the cake before baking to prevent it from puffing up too much.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month.

Room temperature: Consume the same day; otherwise not recommended.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the almond cream the day before and keep it refrigerated.
• Assemble the cake and freeze it; bake directly from the freezer.