Almond pithiviers

Blend the all purpose flour and cake flour together, then remove half a cup and reserve it.

Add the salad oil, salt and iced water; bring together with a spatula, then form into a mass with cupped hands. Add up to a tablespoon more water if needed.

Shape into a cushion, wrap in floured wax paper and chill 40 minutes to an hour.

Beat the cold butter with a rolling pin to soften it, then smear it with a scraper or the palm of the hand until smooth and spreadable but still cold.

Work the reserved half cup of flour into the butter. Chill briefly.

Flour the surface and the dough. Pat the dough out 16 to 18 inches long, pushing rather than rolling so the gluten is activated as little as possible.

Spread the butter over the upper two thirds of the dough, leaving an eighth inch unbuttered border. Fold the unbuttered bottom up to the middle, fold the buttered part over it, and give it a counterclockwise turn.

Roll from an inch inside the near edge to within an inch of the far end, to about 16 to 18 inches. Even the sides and sprinkle any cracks with flour.

Fold top and bottom to meet in the centre, then fold together like a book. Mark the turn count on the dough.

Chill an hour between turns; complete four turns in all, giving 72 layers of butter. Chill overnight.

Beat the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg, then the almond flour, vanilla extract, almond extract and dark rum.

Wrap the almond cream and freeze 30 to 40 minutes, or refrigerate one to two hours.

Correction: the recipe calls for the classic fine puff pastry on page 118, six to seven turns; the simple puff pastry on page 113 was made instead. Give the chilled dough two additional turns, then chill an hour.

Roll the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 20 inches by 12 inches and three eighths of an inch thick.

Cut two eight inch discs, the second at least half an inch from the edge. Layer between floured parchment and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Spread the first disc out to slightly more than eight inches with the fingers on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Knead the very cold almond cream into a cake four inches across and set it on the dough, leaving one and a half to two inches of free dough all around so it cannot leak during baking.

Paint the free circumference with cold water. Unroll the second disc over the almond cream and press the top disc firmly to the bottom all around the lump.

Set a bowl upside down on top so three eighths to half an inch of dough protrudes, trim the uneven edges, cut a scalloped border about one and a quarter inches apart with the back of a small knife, then press the bowl down firmly for a final seal.

Cut a hole in the top and insert a buttered foil chimney.

Apply two coats of egg wash, then cut a decorative design one eighth of an inch deep.

Bake at 450F on the middle rack for 20 minutes, until risen and browned.

Reduce to 400F, move the rack up one level, remove the chimney and bake 25 to 30 minutes more until the sides are brown and crisp.

Sprinkle icing sugar over the top, crank the oven to 500F and watch every 30 seconds until it glazes to a glossy sheen.

Cool on a baking rack.