Scarlett WMirabelle Pithiviers
August 8th 2007 09:58
Mirabelle Pithiviers
About Puff Pastry
Puff pastry is one of the most remarkable products of the bakeshop. Although it includes no added leavening agent, it can rise to eight times its original thickness when baked.
Puff pastry, or puff dough, is one of the most difficult bakery products to make. Because it consists of over 1000 layers, many more than in Danish dough, the rolling-in procedure requires a great deal of time and care.
About Pithiviers
Pithivier is a type of pastry, usually made with frangipane (almond cream filling).
INGREDIENTS
Makes two 8-in pastries
500 gm / 1 lb classic puff pastry
370 gm / 12 oz almond cream
150 gm / 5 oz canned Mirabelle plums, drained, syrup reserved
For the classic puff pastry
500 gm bread flour
10 gm salt
75 gm butter, melted
250 gm 8 oz water
300 gm butter, for rolling in
For the almond cream
90 gm / 3 oz butter
90 gm fine granulated sugar
1 gm / ⅜teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 drops vanilla extract
90 gm powdered almonds
30 gm cake flour
For the egg wash
120 gm egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 gm / ¼ teaspoon sugar
1 gm / ¼ teaspoon salt
10gm / 2 teaspoon water
1. To prepare the puff pastry, mix the flour and the salt. Place the flour in a mound on a work surface and make a well in the center.
2. Pour the melted butter and water into the center of the well. Gradually stir from the inside outward to incorporate the flour into the liquids, making a dough.
3. Once the dough has formed, knead briefly just until it is smooth. Do not overwork or the dough will become too elastic and difficult to work. Gather the dough into a smooth ball.
4. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle.
6. Place the butter between two sheets of plastic film. Soften it and flatten it out by beating it with a rolling pin. Set aside while the dough is rolled out.
7. Keeping the butter between the plastic sheets, roll it out and square the edges using the rolling pin to make a rectangle about two-thirds the size of the dough rectangle.
8. Remove the plastic from the rectangle of butter and place it on the bottom two-thirds of the dough rectangle. Fold the top third of the dough down over the center to cover half the butter. Fold the bottom one-third over the center. The butter is now enclosed in the dough.
9. Give the dough its first 4-fold, roll the dough into a long rectangle. Before rolling, beat the dough lightly as shown so that the butter is evenly distributed.
10. Before folding, always brush off excess dusting flour.
11. Fold down the top edge of the dough to the center.
12. Fold up the bottom edge to the center.
13. Fold in half to achieve the finished 4-fold. This will give the dough 1028 layers of dough and butter. Rest the dough in a cool place between folds to allow the gluten to relax.
14. To prepare the Almond Cream, cream together the butter, sugar, and zest until pale and light.
15. Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
16. Stir in the powdered almonds and flour. Set aside.
17. To make the Pithiviers, roll out the puff pastry to ⅛-in / 3-mm thick. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Cover with plastic film and chill.
18. Cut out two 8-in / 20-cm and two 9-in / 23-cm circles from the pastry. Chill again.
19. Beat together the ingredients for the egg wash.
20. For each pastry, brush egg wash around the outer edge of an 8-in pastry disk. Dock the center.
21. Spread with a layer of almond cream, staying about 1-1½ in / 3-4cm from the edge.
22. Arrange the fruit on the top of the almond cream.
23. With a pastry bag, pipe the remaining almond cream over the plums to form a dome. Smooth with a palette knife.
24. Cover with the 9-in pastry circle, pressing lightly to remove any trapped air. Select a bowl slightly larger than the dome of almond cream and invert it over the pastry. Press down to seal.
25. Using a bottle cap cut in half, cut a scalloped edge. (This can also be done with a knife, but an even finish is harder to achieve.) Remove the pastry trimmings.
26. Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash. Allow to dry in the refrigerator. Repeat with another layer of egg wash and again allow to dry.
27. With a paring knife, cut a pinwheel pattern in the top, stopping short of the scalloped edge.
28. If desired, score the scalloped edge lightly to decorate.
29. Bake at 190ºC and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Total baking time is about 45 minutes.
30. use the syrup from the canned fruit to brush the hot pastry and return to the oven at 220ºC until the syrup bubbles and the top is glazed.
31. Cool on a wire rack.
Note:
The quantity of pastry allows for about 200 gm trimmings. Each Pithiviers uses about 150 gm pastry. You can roll pastry to accurate dimensions can get by with less pastry to start.
**From “Professional Baking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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