Directly translated from French, Galette des Rois means King's Cake. A beautiful frangipane based cake which celebrates Epiphany, Galette des Rois can be found in French patisseries during March and April, celebrating the three King's visit to the baby Jesus. A small porcelain charm called a fève, is hidden in the cake and the person who finds it is "King" for the day and gets to wear the paper crown that comes with the cake. (For safety reasons you may replace the charm with an uncooked bean). While living in France I went down to the local patisserie every second day to buy one of these very special French traditions ... it really is delicious and I find, quite addictive!
400g puff pastry
45ml smooth apricot jam
Frangipane filling:
125g butter, room temperature
125g caster sugar
125g ground almonds
3 eggs
10ml cognac / rum / vanilla and almond extract
Glaze:
1 egg
15ml milk
Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and divide your pastry in half.
Roll out each piece of pastry and cut a 25cm circle/round from each.
Place one round onto the baking paper and spread with the apricot jam, leaving a 2cm clear area around the edges. Put aside.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat the mixture until pale.
Add the ground almonds with the machine running on low.
Now add the eggs, one at a time, and finally the cognac (or other flavouring you may be using).
Spoon the frangipane onto the prepared pastry circle, taking care to keep the 2cm around the edges clear. Heap the mixture slightly more in the centre of the pastry, sloping down towards the edges.
If you want to add a fève, pop a dry bean into the filling at this stage.
Brush the clean pastry edge with water and cover the filling with the second circle of pastry. Press the edges to seal.
Lightly mark the top of the pastry from the centre to the edges like spokes of a wheel and brush with the glaze.
Refrigerate your galette for a minimum of 3 hours - if the pastry and frangipane is not ice cold, the frangipane filling will bubble out of the pastry. I refrigerate mine overnight.
Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Place the ice cold cake into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
Remove and cool.
Galette des Rois may be served warm or cold, but always remember the crown!
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