On the occasion of the Epiphany, the pastry chef of the Domaine des Etangs reveals his secret recipe to delight young and old and to be enjoyed with family or friends.

First, for a good puff pastry

You will need:

– 275 g dry butter
– 138 g white flour

Mix the butter and flour until smooth. Spread the mixture into a 20x30cm 10mm-thick rectangle.
To make the dough, you will need:

– 187 g white flour
– 105 g water
– 6 g salt
– 1 drop of white vinegar

Make the dough by combining all the ingredients. Once the dough is smooth, form a 20x20cm 10mm-thick square. Then, place dry butter in its centre and fold it in on each side in order to enclose the butter.

For puff pastry in five simple steps:

Begin by rolling out the buttery dough obtained, then fold it. Chill for 1 hour in the fridge. Renew this operation five times altogether. Then roll out the puff pastry to a 4mm thickness and chill in the fridge.

Then, the creams

For the pastry cream you will need:

– 250 g milk
– 1 egg
– 20 g egg yolk
– 10 g cornflour
– 10 g flour
– 1 vanilla pod
– 55 g sugar

Mix the egg, yolk, sugar, cornflour and flour. Boil the milk and pour it into the mixture.

Pour everything back in the pot for 2 minutes. Once the mixture is boiling, remove from heat and place clingfilm in contact with the cream before chilling in the fridge for 2 hours.

Then whisk the cream until smooth.

For the frangipane cream you will need:

– 180 g ground almonds
– 180 g softened butter
– 180 g icing sugar
– 3 eggs, beaten
– 90 g pastry cream
– 6 g rum (optional)

Mix the butter and sugar. Add the ground almonds then, little by little, the eggs. Blend until smooth and add the pastry cream and the rum to finish.

Place in a piping bag, ready for use.

To egg wash your cake:

You will need:

– 1 egg
– 1 egg yolk
– 10 g sugar
– 1 g salt
– 10 g water

And now, to assemble the cake 

You will need:

– 1 lucky charm

Cut two disks in the puff pastry, one 20cm wide and the other 22cm wide. The largest disk will be used on top of the cake.

Fill the first one with the frangipane cream, leaving a 3cm edge. Insert the charm. Lightly moisten the edge with water. Place the larger disk on top, taking care to expel the air to stop the cake from opening in the oven.

Then egg wash your cake with a brush and dig a small hole in the centre with the tip of a knife.

Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 200°c. Cook at 200°c for 15mn, then at 180°c for 15mn and finally at 160°c for 20mn.

Gently slide the cake onto a grid.

The time has come to enjoy it!

*PS: Cooking time varies according to the size of the cake.