Description
This festive Mardi Gras mashup is perfect for anyone seeking a lower-effort alternative to homemade king cake. The key to keeping this recipe big and easy is store-bought puff pastry–which encases a gooey cinnamon-sugar filling, and is frosted with a decadent cream cheese glaze. So while it’s certainly not a traditional king cake, this giant brown sugar-cinnamon tart does offer a similarly flaky, buttery, and sweetly delicious pastry experience. In place of the plastic baby typically that’s hidden in a king cake after it’s finished baking, you can always tuck an almond or other nut.
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk, or more as needed
- gold, green, and purple sanding sugars
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Mix brown sugar
- butter
- flour
- cinnamon
- and salt together for the tart in a medium bowl with a fork or clean hands until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl; set aside.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Place one sheet of puff pastry on the surface; gently pinch the seams of the sheet together. Lightly dust surface of pastry with flour and roll into a 9×13-inch rectangle.
- Carefully transfer the puff pastry sheet to the prepared pan and prick the entire surface with a fork. Spread the brown sugar-cinnamon filling all over the puff pastry
- leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Use a pastry brush to brush this 1-inch border with egg wash.
- Repeat rolling process detailed in step 4 with the second sheet of pastry. Using your rolling pin
- carefully place the second sheet of pastry on top of the first
- lining up the corners and edges. Seal the two sheets of pastry around the edges by pressing together with the prongs of a fork. Prick the entire surface with a fork and brush all over with egg wash.
- Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown
- 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the tart cools
- beat cream cheese and butter together for icing until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in milk
- 1 tablespoon at a time
- until desired consistency is reached. Spread the icing over top of the tart. Decorate as desired with sanding sugars.
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 12