In his recipe book for kids, Chef Yann Couvreur teaches both children and parents how to master desserts and snacks from childhood to perfection. With the help of Gaby the fox (the chef's favorite animal), children try their hand at adorable recipes such as Halloween brownies, Grandma's Wednesday apple cake, birthday layer cake, and Christmas log. Today, Do It offers you the simple and foolproof recipe from the chef to make the most beautiful king cake of your life and impress your friends.
Ingredients to shop for
For a cake serving 6 to 8 people :
- 500g puff pastry
For the almond cream :
- 70g butter
- 70g powdered sugar
- 70g almond powder
- 1 egg
For the pastry cream :
- 50g milk
- ½ vanilla bean
- 1 egg yolk
- 10g powdered sugar
- 2 pinches of cornstarch
- 10g butter
For the glaze :
- 3 egg yolks
For the syrup :
- 125g water
- 140g powdered sugar
The recipe
Prepare the almond cream. Take the butter out of the refrigerator a little in advance and let it soften on the table. When it is soft, put it in a large bowl with the powdered sugar and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the almond powder, mix, then add the egg. Mix again.
For the pastry cream, heat the milk in a small saucepan, add the half vanilla bean, turn off the heat, and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Put the egg yolk in a bowl with the powdered sugar. Stir with a whisk until the mixture whitens, then add the cornstarch. Remove the half vanilla bean and bring the flavored milk to a boil. Pour it over the previous mixture, mix well with a wooden spatula, and pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook until boiling. Off the heat, add the butter cut into slices, mix well with the spatula. Let the pastry cream cool covered with plastic wrap.
When the pastry cream has cooled, mix it with the almond cream to obtain the frangipane cream with which you will fill the cake.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry, then cut out 2 large discs of the same diameter. On the first disc, spread the frangipane cream using a flexible spatula, covering the entire surface of the dough, leaving just a small edge. Place the bean. With a brush dipped in a little water, coat the edge of the first disc to stick the second pastry disc on top. Press lightly with your fingers to seal the cake. Put it in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least 1 hour.
Beat the egg yolks with a fork. Take the cake out of the refrigerator and brush it once with beaten yolks using a brush. Repeat a second time to give it a good golden color. Then, with a knife, make crisscross patterns on the top and put it back in the refrigerator while preheating the oven.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. When it reaches the right temperature, slide the cake in (be careful not to burn yourself) and bake for about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare a syrup by boiling water with powdered sugar.
After taking it out of the oven, brush the syrup over the entire surface to give it a glossy appearance.
Discover also the authentic Ashkenazi Borscht recipe and Aurélie Saada's roasted cauliflower and tahini salad.
