The Ultimate King Cake – Bruno Albouze

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil adds a unique flavor and is dairy-free.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey offers natural sweetness with a hint of flavor.

eggs

🥗Healthier: flaxseed meal

💰Cheaper: egg substitute

Flaxseed is a vegan alternative that binds well.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: water

Almond milk is lower in calories and adds a nutty flavor.

Roll out the puff pastry into two identical sheets, about 3 millimeters thick, dusting flour on the countertop as needed to prevent sticking.

Refrigerate the pastry or freeze it for later use.

Smooth out the almond paste with alcohol to make the almond cream filling.

Add powdered sugar and a tiny bit of flour to the almond paste and mix well.

Add an egg and vanilla to the mixture, pulse to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Incorporate room temperature butter into the mixture until smooth, adding a couple of drops of almond extract if needed.

Frame the almond filling into a 9-inch tart ring, placing a trinket (la feve) inside, or use a whole almond, then cover with plastic and freeze until hardened.

Remove the tart ring and keep the almond filling frozen until ready to use, or pipe it directly onto the puff pastry.

Top the first pastry sheet with the frozen almond cream disc, brushing water around the edge of the pastry.

Enclose the filling with the second sheet of puff pastry, carefully chasing air out and sealing the dough.

Place the cake in the freezer for about 20 minutes to rest.

Prepare an egg wash using only egg yolk.

Cut the cake into a 10-inch round and make small holes all over the cake, pressing the edges with the back of a paring knife.

Put the cake back in the freezer, then flip it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Lightly prick the cake again and apply the egg wash, chilling for another 20 minutes.

Mix the remaining egg wash with a drizzle of heavy cream and apply it again to the cake.

Score the top of the cake with a pairing knife, creating a pattern without cutting through the pastry.

Optionally, freeze the cake to bake later or let it rest in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before baking.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 1 hour in a conventional oven or 50 minutes in a convection oven.

After 25 minutes of baking, cover the cake with parchment paper and a baking tray with some weight to ensure even puffing.

For a glossy finish, brush the pastry with simple syrup, aguavi syrup, or maple syrup.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens