Ingredients:
Dough:
1/2 batch "Everything Dough" - see recipe here
2 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
2 tablespoons granulated sweetener substitute (I used Pyure)
1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon of water and set aside for egg wash on pastry
Filling:
2 cups pecans
2 cups sliced almonds
2 whole eggs
2 cups powdered monkfruit
1 tablespoon almond extract
Directions:
Knead the dough out on a greased counter top. Create a "well" in the middle. Pour in the 2 teaspoons of almond extract and 2 tablespoons of sweetener. Mix all into the dough until well combined.
Split the dough into 2 halves and set aside.
In a food processor, combine the nuts with 1 cup of the powdered monkfruit. Pulse slowly and carefully until the nuts and monkfruit become sandlike in texture. Add the remaining cup of monkfruit and repeat process, you want a very fine texture. Add in the eggs and almond extract and pulse until the mixture is slightly wet. Remove from the food processor and put it in a bowl.
Return to the dough and each separated half on a piece of parchment paper. Cover each with another piece of parchment. Roll the dough out until it it about 1/4" thick, and into a rectangular shape. You can cut and resize the dough as you go along. Trim the edges as needed.
Create a "braid" pattern as shown below. Cut the dough on a diagonal, leaving a gap of about 3 inches in the middle where the filling will go on each half.
You can use a butter knife as a guide like I did to get evenly placed braids on both sides.
Remove the almond paste from the food processor and evenly distribute it between the two pastries in the middle.
Carefully fold the flaps up and over each other. Press down carefully to seal. They will "tack" to each other easily.
Using a small pastry brush or even a bbq brush, use the egg wash and brush the tops of the pastry evenly. Top with additional sliced almonds at this point if desired.
Pick up each pastry (keeping it on the parchment paper it's on) and place on a sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool.
Top with additional monkfruit if desired.
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