I love German Food

Leipziger Lerche

Recipe by
Comments Off on Leipziger Lerche
80 min.
Prep: 60 min. | Cook: 20 min. | Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Crust:
  • ½ cup (1 cube) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • Dash of salt
  • For the Apricot Marzipan:
  • 1 cup (150 grams) slivered almonds (or alternatively, you can skin whole
  • almonds – see notes for directions)
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon apricot brandy, or sherry (optional – see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 apricot (45-60 grams), peeled and pitted, or 1 heaping tablespoon
  • apricot preserves
  • For the Almond Sponge Cake Top Filling:
  • 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (70 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ egg yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 apricots pureed, or 2 heaping tablespoons apricot preserves
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) sour cream
  • ⅔ cup (75 grams) almond flour
  • ¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 egg whites

Directions

  1. For the Crust:
    In a food processor, cream together butter and sugar.
    Add egg and blend until incorporated.
    Add flour and salt and blend until dough is just formed.
    Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in fridge until ready to assemble.
  2. For the Apricot Marzipan:
    Place almonds in a food processor.
    Blend on a medium setting until finely ground, about 30-45 seconds.
  3. Add almond extract and blend until evenly distributed.
    Add powdered sugar. Mixture may appear to seize up momentarily, but will then start to mix. Blend until distributed, about 20-30 seconds. (If any powdered sugar gets stuck on side wall of processor, take a quick break and scrape down the sides so that it will mix in.)
    Add apricot brandy, butter, and apricot.
  4. Blend for for 1 and ½ to 2 minutes. Mixture will ball up and appear very smooth in consistency when ready.
  5. Check consistency (it will seem almost like play dough) and process for an additional 30 seconds or so, if needed, to get it very smooth.
    Place in bowl and cover (or put in plastic wrap) and place in fridge until time for assembly.
  6. For the Almond Sponge Cake Top Filling:
    In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
    Mix in egg yolk until combined.
    Mix in almond extract.
  7. In process or with a hand mixer, puree apricots with sour cream until well combined.
  8. Add apricot mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined.
    In another bowl, mix together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch.
  9. Add to butter mixture and blend until just incorporated. Beat two egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold into batter.
  10. For the Assembly:
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  11. Generously spray your brioche molds/muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.
    On a well-floured surface, roll out pastry dough very thin (about ⅛ inch).
  12. Cut circular dough rounds to fit your molds (I usually do about a 4 inch diameter for standard muffin tin)
    Re-roll dough as needed to get 12 pastry shells. Set scraps aside to make decorative crosses for top.
  13. Place a marzipan round in bottom of each pastry shell.
    Place a generous scoop of top filling.
    Roll out remaining dough and cut 24 equal-sized skinny rectangles. Place a cross on top of each pastry.
    Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until filling is set and crust and top is beginning to turn golden brown.
  14. Let pastries cool about 10-15 minutes in tin, or until cool enough to handle.
  15. Remove from tins and enjoy. These also taste great the next day with a hot drink!
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