Honey Cake Rounds: Thin Honey Cookies That Turn Soft and Tender Overnight Around Two Silky Creams

Instructions

Make the Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine all the dough ingredients (flour, powdered sugar, butter, honey, eggs, egg yolks, baking soda).

3. Work them by hand into a smooth, slightly sticky dough.

4. Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Roll it out into a thin sheet, about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick.

5. Cut out rounds with a round cutter (or a drinking glass).

6. Carefully arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving small gaps between them.

7. Bake in the hot oven for about 5 to 7 minutes. Watch them closely, since honey dough browns very quickly.

8. Let the baked rounds cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Creams

1. Make the pudding cream. Take about 3/4 cup (200 ml) out of the 3 1/3 cups (800 ml) milk.

2. Pour the remaining milk (600 ml) into a pot. Add the granulated sugar and bring to a boil.

3. In the reserved 200 ml of milk, whisk the pudding powder and the egg yolk until completely smooth.

4. When the milk in the pot boils, pour in the pudding mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until you have a thick pudding.

5. Remove from the heat. Immediately cover the pudding with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface so no skin forms.

6. Let it cool completely to room temperature.

7. In a separate bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until fluffy.

8. Add the fully cooled pudding to the butter a spoonful at a time, beating after each addition.

9. Finally, briefly beat in the 2 tablespoons of mascarpone. The cream will be wonderfully firm and smooth.

10. In a third bowl, whip the 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream to stiff peaks.

Fill and Finish

1. Put the pudding cream into a piping bag with a decorative tip.

2. Put the whipped cream into a piping bag as well.

3. Pipe a ring (or a layer) of pudding cream onto half of the honey rounds.

4. Pipe or spread a layer of whipped cream in the center or on top of the pudding cream.

5. Carefully cover with a second honey round.

6. Refrigerate the honey cake rounds to set, ideally for at least 2 hours.

7. Dust lightly with powdered sugar just before serving.