Galette des Rois

Galette des Rois (Kings’ Cake), is a cake, made and eaten to celebrate the Epiphany (Twelfth Night), on the 6th of January.  Nowadays however, you’ll find Galette des Rois is sold in French supermarkets and bakeries right after Christmas and up to the start of february, when everyone prepares for Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. The most traditional Galette des Rois is a puff pastry filled with a frangipane (almond) filling, but many other types of fillings exist such as fruit and chocolate ones. Before closing the cake, a small trinket is hidden in the mixture and the one who bites in it is declared king and earns the Crown.

Tried & Tasted Recipe

• 2 x 250g puff pastry
• 200g ground almonds
• 150g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g butter, softened
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 fève (small trinket/charm or dry bean)
• Glaze: 1 tbsp icing sugar mixed into 1 tablespoon boiling water

Make the frangipane: mix the sugar and butter until smooth and creamy, add the eggs, almonds and vanilla and mix well.
Roll out half the puff pastry into a 12” diameter circle. Place it on a baking tray, lined with wax paper.
Beat the egg yolk with a couple of tablespoons of water; using a brush, paint the outer circumference of the pastry with the beaten egg.
Spread the frangipane onto the pastry, leaving a circumference of about one inch. Place the bean/trinket somewhere into the frangipane,close to the edge, cover with the second round of puff pastry and press to seal the outer edges.
Using the tip of a knife, draw a pretty pattern over the top of the galette and brush with the rest of the beaten egg.
Preheat the oven to 210°C and bake for 5 minutes; then lower to 180°C, for 25-30 minutes.

When you remove the galette from the oven, prepare the sugar glaze and brush it over the cake to create a shiny finish.
Serve warm.