Rick Stein's cherry pithivier recipe

A pithivier is the French term for a pie made with 2 discs of puff pastry. This one is filled with frangipane and cherries!

I saw it on Rick Stein's French Odyssey the other night and thought it looked gorgeous. 

YOU WILL NEED:

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter (do buy good quality butter, it makes ALL the difference!)
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups almond meal (I ground my own and did not remove the skin)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch
• 1 1/2 cups cherries with pits removed (I used Morello Cherries)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 220C.

With one piece of puff pastry cut out a 25cm circle.

With the other make it 30cm (THE LARGER ONE IS THE TOP!).

Place in fridge while you make the filling.

To make the filling, mix together the sugar and butter until light & fluffy.

Beat in the egg and 1 of the egg yolks.

Stir in the ground almonds, flour and kirsch.

Now gently fold through the cherries.

Place the smaller puff circle on a baking sheet.

Mound the frangipane mix in the centre. DO NOT SPREAD IT AROUND.

Be sure to leave a 2 cm edge all around the edge.

Lay the larger disc on topand crimp the edges to seal.

Make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to be released.

You may decorate the top if you like.  I did- cause I wanted to make it look perdy!

I scored radiating arcs from the centre.  If you do this be careful not to strike right through the pastry.

Now brush the Pithivier with egg wash. 

Bake for about 15 minutes and then lower the temp down to 175C for 35 minutes.

Be sure to check the cake as it may brown quickly.  If so cover lightly with foil to protect it.

Serve with good Vanilla bean icecream or whipped cream...or jsut as it comes! It is sooooo very delicious!

http://gourmetgirl-friend.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/cooking-for-comfort.html