Pithiviers

Participating in the Tuesdays with Dorie online baking group means learning new things as well as being introduced to unfamiliar desserts.  Pithivers is in north central France, the location of a Nazi internment camp.  A pithivier is a pie made with puff pastry and almond cream (frangipane).

Having little previous experience with puff pastry I was unprepared for how easy and impressive Dorie's Pithiviers recipe is.

The version in Baking Chez Moi calls for a home made prune jam.  I used a chunky plum ginger jam made by local culinary students.  The almond cream is simply a mixture of butter, sugar, optional lemon or orange zest, almond flour, all purpose flour, cornstarch, egg white, and rum or vanilla.  This plus store bought puff pastry is all you need to make this wonderful dessert.