Gateaux Pithiviers for #DaringBakers #December

I love baking. Especially when it pushes me to challenge myself, I tend to love it even more. Hence, when I saw that, for the month of December, Kat challenged us to make Gateaux Pithiviers, I was full of joy. This was something I never even heard of. Hence every step was extremely enjoyable. Yes, the end result is not that photogenic but it was absolutely lip smacking.

Puff pastry-
Ingredients-

• 500 gm all purpose flour
• 500 gm butter
• 1 cup ice water

Instructions-

• Add 100 gmflour and 100gm butter in a bowl and combine. If the mixture gets warmed up put it in freezer for 5 minutes and start needed again. Wrap it in clingfilm and place in the refrigerator.
• Combine the remaining flour, butter and chilled water well. Wrap in a cling film and keep in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the dough from fridge and roll and make a 16-17cm square. Now remove the butter mixture from fridge and place on the dough. Fold the dough so that it can cover the butter mixture properly like a packet.
• Roll the square packet. Be careful so that the butter mixture doesn't come out. If it feels warm just put it in the fridge for 5 minutes.
• Fold the dough in third and roll. Refrigerate it for 1/2 an hour. Repeat the process 6 more times.
• Now you will get a nice slab of dough. Wrap in in cling film and put it in the refrigerator. You can store this for around 3-4 days in refrigerator.

Frangipane-

Ingredients-

• 1cup blanched almonds
• 100gm granulated sugar
• 50gm butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2tsp orange juice
• 2tsp lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsp dark rum

Instructions-

• Toast the almonds and grind it.
• Mix all the ingredients together and grind it.
• Chill for 30-40 minutes.

Gateaux Pithiviers-
Ingredients-

• 1/3rd of the portions that you made
• 1batch of frangipane
• 1 egg
• Lil bit powdered sugar

Instructions-

• Divide the puff pastry in 2 parts and roll out one part. 
• Using a knife or sharp bowl cut out a 8" diameter circle from there. Place it carefully on a baking sheet.
• Beat the egg. Brush it on the pastry. However, avoid brushing the egg on the sides.
• Place the frangipane on the center of the pastry. Place it in the freezer.
• Roll out the other half of the pastry. Cut a same diameter circle. Now take the Pithiviers out of the freezer and cover it with the pastry.
• Mush the upper and bottom layers together, using your finger. Be careful so that the frangipane doesn't spill out.
• Now press with fingers of your hand and using the back of knife create indents. You can also create some patters on top. This was my first time, so I failed in doing this pretty miserably.
• Eggwash the whole top. 
• Preheat oven to 220°C . 
• Bake for 28-35 minutes.
• Then reduce the heat to 170°C and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool it down completely before serving.