Chef Erez Komarovsky's buttery almond pastry, swirled through with marzipan and toasted nuts, makes a fine breakfast or afternoon snack. This recipe first appeared in our May 2013 issue with Gabriella Gershenson's article The Promised Land.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 ¼ oz. package active dry yeast
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 ¼ cups butter, softened
- 12 oz. marzipan (almond paste)
- 1 cup whole almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp. coarse sugar
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
Step 1
Whisk flours, yeast, and salt in a bowl; make a well in the center. Whisk buttermilk, ½ cup sugar, 3 yolks, and ¼ cup warm water in a bowl; pour into well and add butter. Stir until a stiff dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Step 2
Heat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll dough into an 11" x 16" rectangle. Distribute marzipan and almonds evenly over dough, leaving a 1" border. With a long side facing you, roll dough up and over filling; pinch and tuck ends of dough under. Transfer loaf, seam side down, to a parchment paper—lined baking sheet; brush with remaining yolk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 1 hour.
Step 3
Boil remaining sugar and ¼ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan; cook, stirring, to make a syrup, 1-2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest and brush syrup over the hot cake. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Whisk flours, yeast, and salt in a bowl; make a well in the center. Whisk buttermilk, ½ cup sugar, 3 yolks, and ¼ cup warm water in a bowl; pour into well and add butter. Stir until a stiff dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Heat oven to 350°. On a floured surface, roll dough into an 11" x 16" rectangle. Distribute marzipan and almonds evenly over dough, leaving a 1" border. With a long side facing you, roll dough up and over filling; pinch and tuck ends of dough under. Transfer loaf, seam side down, to a parchment paper—lined baking sheet; brush with remaining yolk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until golden and cooked through, about 1 hour.
- Boil remaining sugar and ¼ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan; cook, stirring, to make a syrup, 1-2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and zest and brush syrup over the hot cake. Let cool slightly before serving.
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