Galette des rois (French king cake)

 This is a French classic traditionally made and eaten in January to celebrate the Wise Men (or Three Kings). Buttery puff pastry filled with an almond cream filling, it contains a hidden fève (usually a small ceramic figurine, but it can also be a coin or a bean). Whoever finds it get to be crowned king or queen. Of course, you can make it with store-bought puff pastry if you can your hands on good quality puff pastry dough. This recipe yields about 600 grams of puff pastry, which is enough for both top and bottom rounds. It's a bit time consuming but so rewarding!

Puff pastry

5 g salt
125 ml water
250 g white bread flour (2 cups)
25 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (2 Tbsp)
200 g unsalted butter

The frangipane (almond cream filling)

 

Pastry cream

130 g milk
15 g sugar
10 g cornstarch
1 egg yolk
1/2 vanilla pod (or extract)
 

Frangipane

90 g unsalted butter, softened
80 g icing sugar
110 g almond flour
1 egg
5 g cornflour
1 teaspoon rum (optional if you don't drink alcohol, but better with it)
All the pastry cream

 

Assembling

 

1 egg (for egg wash)

50 ml water

50 g sugar (1/4 cup)

10 ml rum (2 tsp)

 

Make the puff pastry.

Step 1: In a mixing bowl, mix together the salt and water. Add the flour and melted butter. With a pastry scraper, work the ingredients together until they form a dough. Don't overwork it. Shape the dough into a ball.

Using a knife, cut a criss-cross pattern in the dough to relax it. Cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. 

Using a sheet of baking/parchment paper, enfold the butter and soften it with a rolling pin. Shape the butter into a square (it should still be cold but as malleable as the dough resting in the fridge).

Roll out the dough into a rectangle twice as long as the square of butter. Place the butter on the dough and wrap the dough around it to enclose it completely. Dust the work surface with flour and roll the dough into a rectangle measuring 10x24 in. (25x60 cm). Fold the dough into 3 (this is known as a single turn). Rotate the folded dough 90° to the right.

Step 2: Roll out the dough again and fold into 3, giving it another turn. Cover the folded dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 40 minutes.

Place the chilled dough on the floured work surface, making sure the flap is on one side. Repeat step 2. 

Roll out the chilled dough one last time and fold into 3. Cover in plastic wrap and chill 30 to 40 minutes before using. Divide the dough into 2 squares. Fold the corners of the squares to the center, turn over and shape each into a ball. Flatten, cover in plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours.

Make the pastry cream.

Stir the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.  Meanwhile whisk yolk, sugar and corn flour in a bowl until thick and pale. Using a manual whisk (or electric beaters), gradually add hot milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until custard boils and thickens. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the mixture to prevent the top from hardening and let cool completely.

 

Make the frangipane filling

 Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light. Mix in the egg, cornflour and almond flour until well blended. Add the rum and the pastry cream and mix until incorporated. Line a baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper and spoon the frangipane cream into a pastry bag.

Pipe the cream into a tight spiral, 8 in. (20 cm) in diameter, on the baking sheet, starting at the center and working outwards. Tuck the fève (ceramic charm) into the cream and freeze overnight.

 

Assembling

The next day, roll out each disk of pastry, with the folds underneath, into 9 in. (23 cm) rounds. Turn one over so the folds are facing up and brush the edges with water and place it on a baking pan lined with a baking sheet. Place the disk of frangipane cream in the center. Cover with the second puff pastry round, with the folds facing down and in contact with the cream.

Press the pastry edges together using a pastry pincher (I used the flat tip of a pointy knife) to seal them and prevent the filling leaking out during baking. Brush the top with egg wash and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush with egg wash again and, using a pairing knife, mark curved lines in the pastry (design is up to you). Place in the oven, lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40 minutes (mine took a bit longer, about 50 minutes).

Optional: While the galette is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the sugar has dissolved, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. As soon as the galette comes out of the oven, brush it with a little syrup to give the pastry a nice sheen without making it soggy. Serve warm or room temperature.