Twelfth Night Cake

Twelfth Night marks the end of the Christmas festivities and heralds the start of Epiphany and the arrival of the Kings.  This cake was often served with a paper crown on it.  A bean was placed in the filling of the cake and whoever found the bean got to wear the crown and be a King or Queen.  This cake goes down a treat after a good wassail!

Ingredients: Serves 8

4oz (125g) butter, softened	2 tablespoons rum
4oz (125g) caster sugar	375g packet puff pastry
2 eggs (1 whole, 1 yolk)	1 egg, beaten for glazing
4oz (125g) ground almonds	A little icing sugar for dusting
½oz (15g) plain flour

Method:

1. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Add the eggs, then gently stir in the ground almonds, flour and rum.
3. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
4. Half the pastry and roll out both pieces and cut out a 10 inch (25cm) circle from  each.  Roll out the trimmings and cut out several long strips about ½ inch (1cm) wide.
5. Place one circle on a baking sheet and brush the outside edge with water.  Lay the strips in a single layer around the edge to form a border.
6. Spoon the almond mixture into the centre, piling higher in the middle.
7. Brush the strips of pastry with water and place the second circle of pastry on the top.
8. Press the edges down well and pinch with thumb and forefinger to make a decorative edge.
9. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
10. Preheat oven to 200ºC(190ºC fan oven)/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
11. Make a small hole in the centre of the pastry, then with the point of a sharp knife, score lines from the centre of the pastry to the edge (do not cut right through the pastry) to form wedge shapes.
12. Brush all over with the beaten egg.
13. Bake for 30 mins then remove from oven and dust with icing sugar.  Return to the oven for a further 10 mins until the sugar is melted and the cake is golden brown.
14. Serve the cake warm or cold