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    Home / Desserts / Tarts & Pies

    Traditional French Pithivier

    Jan 6, 2023 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe

    How to make the traditional almond Pithivier, a French pastry recipe made with my best crispy and buttery homemade puff pastry dough and filled with the perfect and easy almond cream filling.

    Pithivier cake in plate this recipe

    The Pithivier is a traditional French pastry recipe, a puff pastry cake generally filled with a savory or sweet filling as here with almonds and it is native to a French region, the town of Pithivier from where it takes its name.

    Pithiviers is a recipe very similar to the "galette des Rois" that is made during the month of January and the Epiphany day which corresponds to the arrival of the Three Kings.

    Unlike the classic recipe which is filled with a frangipane cream, a mixture of pastry cream and almond cream, the pithivier is simply filled with almond cream.

    Like the galette des Rois, it's made of two puff pastry sheets, very crispy and with a good taste of butter, with a delicious and creamy almond filling stuffed in between.

    Traditionally decorated with a pretty round shape, flower petals and spiral lines drawn, this recipe is a perfect change from the traditional galette to celebrate Epiphany with the family this year or just for fun.

    >> See all the galette des Rois recipes

    slice pithivier with almond filling

    Composition and ingredients

    Puff pastry

    I used the classic homemade puff pastry dough for this recipe, but you can also use the inverted puff pastry dough recipe, the quick rough puff pastry dough recipe or simply use two disks of store-bought puff pastry.

    Almond filling

    A simple almond cream made up of ground almonds, butter, powdered sugar and eggs. The ingredients are mixed with a mixer until a smooth and creamy filling is obtained.

    You can always prepare the frangipane recipe, which is a mixture of pastry cream and almond cream that gives a creamier and more flavorful filling.

    You can add in addition to the almond cream, apple pieces, pears, raspberries, melted chocolate, and more to add more flavor.

    ⚠️ You will find the quantities and instructions in the recipe card at the end of the page.

    almond pithivier on a large plate

    How to make the Pithivier

    1 - Puff pastry

    Make the puff pastry following my recipe (see link in the recipe card) or simply take 2 discs of puff pastry from the store.

    Homemade puff pastry sheet

    2 - Almond cream

    1. In a large mixing bowl, place the softened butter with the powdered sugar and mix with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until creamy.
    2. Add the eggs, almond extract and vanilla flavor (or rum) and beat again at medium speed for a good minute to incorporate.
    3. Add ground almonds or cornstarch and beat again to incorporate.

    Tip: The filling can easily be flavored with cocoa powder, melted chocolate, praline paste and more.

    large bowl with almond cream

    3 - Assembly

    1. Roll out the puff pastry with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 3 mm on a sheet of parchment paper to move it more easily.
    2. Mark an 8 inch/20 cm circle with a plate or pastry ring.
    3. Fill the center with almond cream, leaving a space of 3-5 cm.
    4. Moisten the edges with a pastry brush and water and cover with a second sheet of puff pastry.
    5. Weld the edges together, pressing lightly, and cut out the edges with a knife, forming flower petals.

    Tip: You can place the cake in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before baking to prevent the butter from escaping too much during baking.

    Roll out puff pastry filled with almond cream
    Roll out puff pastry cut in a flower shape

    4 - Baking

    1. Move the pithivier to a baking sheet.
    2. Brush the entire top with egg wash using a pastry brush.
    3. Lightly score the top with a sharp knife or a small paring knife to make spiral lines.
    4. Make a few holes on the top to let the air trapped inside the cake escape and apply a second layer with the remaining egg wash.
    5. Bake the pithivier in a preheated oven at 350°F/ 180°C for 40-45 minutes until puffed and golden brown on top.
    6. Let the pithivier cool a bit before moving it to a wire rack or a serving plate and serving it a bit warm.

    Tip: You can brush the top of the baked pithivier with sugar syrup to give it a shiny crust. Mix the same amount of water and sugar in a heated pan over medium heat until it has a fluid texture.

    Tip: You can also simply decorate it by applying a sprinkle of powdered sugar to give it a nice finish.

    Puff pastry pithivier before baking

    Storage and freezing

    Pithivier can be stored at room temperature under a cloth or in an airtight container box for about 3 to 4 days.

    You can slightly reheat it in the microwave or oven to give it a little freshness.

    To freeze, wait until completely cooled and place in a storage box or place it in a pie dish covered with plastic wrap, you can keep it for up to 3 months.

    almond pithivier cake on a large plate

    More galette recipes

    • Nutella stuffed Galette des Rois
    • Chocolate galette des Rois
    • Apple galette des Rois
    • Chocolate pear galette
    almond pithivier slice on a dessert plate

    More almond cakes

    • Almond cake
    2 slices of pithivier on a table

    Did you like this recipe? Don't forget to rate it and leave me a review in the comments! And to not miss any recipes follow @sweetlycakes on Instagram and tag me to share it if you make this recipe 😊!

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    Pithivier recipe


    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    • Yield: 10 slices
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    How to make a delicious almond Pithivier recipe, a homemade puff pastry filled with almond cream (for a cake of 10 inch/25 cm 8-10 slices)


    Ingredients

    250 g of homemade puff pastry

    Almond filling :

    • 150 g (⅔ cup) Butter - unsalted and softened
    • 150 g ( 1 ⅓ cup) Powdered sugar
    • 3 eggs - at room temperature
    • 150 g ( 1 ⅓ cup) Almond - ground
    • 20 g (2 ½ tbsp) cornstarch - or flour
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla or bitter almond extract

     


    Instructions

    Make the dough following my recipe for homemade puff pastry or take 2 sheets of store-bought puff pastry.

    Almond cream 

    1. Place the chopped and softened butter in a large bowl with the powdered sugar and beat with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth.
    2. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again with an electric mixer for 1 minute to incorporate.
    3. Finish with the ground almonds and cornstarch and mix again with an electric mixer for a good minute to incorporate them and until you have a smooth mixture.

    Puff pastry 

    1. Roll out the dough into 2 sheets about 3 mm thick.
    2. Take the first sheet of dough and mark it with a 7-8 inch/20 cm pastry circle to have a guide.
    3. Fill the center of the circle with the almond cream, leaving a border of about 3-4 cm.
    4. Moisten the edges with a brush and water.
    5. Cover with the second sheet of puff pastry and press to adhere the two pastries together.
    6. Cut out flower-shaped edges with a knife.
    7. Brush the Pithivier with egg wash.
    8. Score the top with a knife or pastry cutter to form spiral lines.
    9. Stick the knife in several places in the dough to evacuate the air trapped inside the cake.

    Baking

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and bake the pithivier for 40-45 minutes until it is well puffed up and golden on top.
    2. Let the pithivier cool down a bit before serving it a bit warm.

    Equipment

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    Perforated baking sheet

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    Stand mixer

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    Hand mixer

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    Notes

    Storage: Up to 3 to 4 days at room temperature under a cloth or in a storage box and up to 3 months in the freezer.

    • Prep Time: 40 minutes
    • Cook Time: 45 minutes
    • Category: Galette, dessert, cake,
    • Cuisine: French

    Keywords: pithivier, almond pithivier, pithivier recipe,

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