Serves 6
This is one classic French dessert that is destined to create a great talking point at your gatherings, guaranteed. Galette des Rois is made to celebrate the Epiphany on January 6th, marking the appearance of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus. I have been wanting to make this special cake for the longest time for so many reasons: it is so pretty, almonds are involved, it has some history and it comes with a fascinating element: a fun game that involves a fève (charm) and kids. The youngest child sits under the table and chooses what guest gets each slice of the galette. The original charm used in the cake was a dry bean but you may use an almond, dry fruits or any other charm you like (edible ideally, so you prevent any dental accidents). Whoever gets the slice with the charm, gets to be the king or the queen and they get the wear the crown.
My son is a chocolate guy, just like me. So, my initial expectation for him to even try this dessert was slim to none. I could not describe this dessert better than by quoting him while I was baking it for the first time:” I do not know what you are baking but it smells delicious”. He could not wait to try it and to my surprise he loved it to the extent that he had and still has three slices in a row shortly after it is out of the oven. And that has nothing to do with his quest for the charm. The cake is very easy to make especially if you use store-bought puff pastry. However, its success stays in the ingredients, technique, details and following the recipe. It goes wonderfully paired with champagne or sparkling wine. Enjoy it and enjoy being the King or Queen of the day…if you are lucky!
Pastry Cream
90 mL milk
2 egg yolks
30 g vanilla sugar (or regular sugar plus ½ tsp vanilla extract)
1 tsp cornstarch
Pinch of salt
½ tbsp dark rum/liqueur (I love Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
Almond Cream
67 g / 1/3 cup sugar
60 g/ 4 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
67 g/ 2/3 cup almond flour (see note)
¼ tsp almond extract
1 tbsp dark rum/liqueur
orange zest
Pinch of salt
To Assemble Galette
2 x 9 inch-diameter circles puff pastry dough, cold
Charm
1 whole almond or dry bean
Egg wash
1 yolk plus 1 tsp milk/water
To make the pastry cream: In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small heatproof bowl until smooth. Remove milk from heat and whisking constantly, pour half into the yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, add the tempered yolk mixture to the remaining milk in saucepan. Continue cooking and whisking constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens to the consistency of a pudding, for about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the rum or liqueur. Cover with a plastic wrap to contact and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
To make the almond cream: using a mixer, mix butter and sugar until creamy and light. Mix in almond flour and salt, followed by the egg. Add rum or liqueur, almond extract and orange zest. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Fold chilled pastry cream into chilled almond cream and keep refrigerated until ready for galette assembling.
Mix yolk and milk and refrigerate until needed.
To assemble galette: Place one cold circle of dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper while keeping the second one refrigerated. Spread or pipe cold frangipane filling in the center of the dough leaving a 1 inch/ 3 cm wide circumference all around, to prevent any leaking during baking. Place charm in the filling, towards the margin of the galette, if using. Brush the border with cold water (not with egg). Position the second circle of dough over the filling and press around with your fingertips to seal well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Once chilled, flip the galette for even baking. Using the back of a table knife, scallop edges by pushing into the dough every ½ inch. Using a sharp paring knife, make a small vent slit in the center of galette. Brush lightly, avoiding any dripping down the rim or else the galette will not rise. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F/218°C.
Brush galette for the second time, and score your design using a sharp paring knife, making sure not to pierce the dough. Make several random vent slits.
Turn the heat down to 400°F/ 200°C and bake until galette is puffed up and deep gold, for 30-40 minutes. Check galette after 20 minutes and if it is browning too fast, tent with foil loosely. If it is rising too much create additional slits to release steam.
Transfer to rack to cool for 10 minutes before serving. It is wonderful warm or at room temperature. Galette may deflate as it cools.
NOTE:
For a more intense almond flavour and for adding a crunch to the filling, you may wish to use a mix of almond flour and whole almonds (skin on). Roast them in a skillet and add to blender. Pulse of a few times to a coarse flour.
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