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 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.