Pithivier with Apricots

Before this book, I had never heard of a pithivier. I learned that this classic French pastry consists of almond filling in between two rounds of puff pastry (with this version featuring tart apricots). To start this recipe, I made a fresh batch of quick puff pastry and I'm so glad I did. I added an extra turn and the final pastry came out incredibly flaky. After letting the puff pastry chill overnight, I rolled it out into a large rectangle and cut out two circles. I slathered on a layer of the almond filling and topped it with the apricots. I placed the top round of puff pastry over the filling and sealed everything with a decorative boarder. A quick egg wash decorative design, and steam vent completed the pithivier. The pastry baked for 32 minutes in a 400-degree oven. I was shocked by how much the pasty puffed up--it looked gorgeous and it made me confident that I had nailed the quick puff pastry recipe. The pithivier was fun to make, although next time I will substitute a different fruit since I didn't care for the apricots.

On deck: Savory Jalousie with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms