Ho, ho, ho. Christmas is over and it's time to make a Galette des Rois. For the recipe, I had to go way back in time to the very beginnings of Cookie Madness and round up the recipe I was given by a French blogger. At the time, I'd never heard of this wonderful pastry, which is puff pastry filled with an almond creme. Within it somewhere is a hidden fève. And what the heck is a fève? It's just French for bean, like fava bean. Interestingly, I wonder if the term "favor" as in "party favor" evolved from the word fève since the bean was hidden at feasts or parties. And that probably has something to do with plastic babies being hidden in Mardi Gras cakes. Hopefully nobody is reading this. If so, here's a Jump to Recipe button.
Instead of using both sheets of puff pastry and making it round, I used 1 sheet of puff pastry and simply baked it as a rectangle. Here is my version of the Galette des Rois. I will probably try the round version tomorrow.
Small Galette des Rois
½ of a 7 oz roll of almond paste
¼ cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
1 large egg, beaten in a cup (you will use half of it in the filling)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 roll of frozen puff pastry from a (17.25 ounce) package, thawed
A dry kidney bean (optional)
1 egg -- beaten
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
Place the almond paste into a food processor or blender with half (just 2 tablespoons) of the sugar and process until well blended. Add the butter and remaining sugar and process until smooth, then blend in 2 tablespoons of the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, flour and salt. Set aside.
Roll the sheet of the puff pastry into an 11 inch square. Keep the pastry cool, do not knead or stretch. Carefully cut the square in half to make two rectangles. Place each rectangle on a separate sheet of parchment paper. Keeping parchment underneath, place one rectangle on a cookie sheet
Spoon as much almond filling as possible down the center of the pastry that is on the baking sheet (I had a bit leftover). Leave about 1 ½ inch margin at the edges. Press a bean or feve down into the filling. Place the second sheet of pastry on top, and press down the edges to seal. Crimp decoratively with a fork.
Place entire galette in refrigerator for 2 hours to chill. This will help prevent spreading.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Take your remaining egg, mix again with a fork, and lightly brush onto the top of the gallette. Use a sharp knife and make a few slits in the top of the rectangle.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not open the oven until the time is up, as the pastry will not fully puff. Remove from the oven, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Return to the oven, and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Larger Round Version
The round version is made the same way, but instead of using one sheet of pastry, you use 2 sheets and cut two 11 inch circles. If you are making a round version, you might want to double the filling. The amount of filling below is fine for a rectangle....more than enough, in fact. But for a round, you'll need more.
Recipe
Easy Galette des Rois
Ingredients
- 1 roll almond paste (Odense) (7 oz)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs medium or small
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 17.25 ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 dry kidney bean or plastic favor
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Place the almond paste and half of the sugar in a food processor. Process until well blended. Add the butter and remaining sugar using and process until smooth, then blend in 1 egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, flour and salt. Empty mixture into a bowl and place in refrigerator for 2 hours or until slightly firm.
- Roll one sheet of the thawed puff pastry into an 11 inch square. Using a large pie plate or cake pan, trace an 11 inch circle onto the dough using the tip of a small knife. Place the circle of on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with second sheet of dough, placing the cut out circle on another sheet of parchment.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Mound the almond filling in the center of the pastry that is on the baking sheet. Leave about 1 ½ inch margin at the edges. Press the bean down into the filling. Place the second sheet of pastry on top, and press down the edges to seal.
- Beat the second egg with a fork, and lightly brush over the top of the gallette. Use a knife to make a criss cross pattern in the egg wash, and then prick several small slits in the top to vent steam while baking.
- Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not open the oven until the time is up, as the pastry will not fully puff. Remove from the oven, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Return to the oven, and cook for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Lay a golden paper crown gently on top of the cake. This will be used to crown the person who finds the bean or feve. Serves 8 people
Anna says
Janet, I hope your family enjoys it. Maybe for the next one, you could put something in with the almond filling....I mean besides the plasic baby. My friend David says he thinks pears would be good. Me, I'd like to try chocolate. Or how about cherry pie filling??? I'm glad yours didn't leak.
Thanks again to Michael and Cindy (and Clotilde) for talking about galettes.
Janet says
Hello again! This is not only delicious but the presentation is WOW! Thanks for the inspiration! You are right the filling amount was correct and now I have enough left to make another and share with a friend! Sorry but I just can't seem to get over how pretty it is!!! lol
Anna says
Janet, it should be fine.
The filling amount you put in should be fine. I usually don't use all of it either.
One thing I've learned about this galette recipe is that it is REALLY important to seal the edges tightly. If you don't, the filling might leak out a bit.
Janet says
Hi! I am very excited because I just made the galette des rois. It is chilling in the fridge and I can't wait to see if I did it correctly. I made the rectangular size you mentioned and had about half of the filling left...do you think I put enough in it? Thanks again!
lori says
You'll do great! I'd love to be in on the class. I also wish I had seen you on Oprah! How cool is that!
Anna says
The bean is like the plastic baby in a King Cake. Whoever gets the bean gets to be King or Queen for a day.
Sharon says
The galette sounds and looks yummy. Maybe a silly question... but what's with the bean? Do you leave it in? Is it like a good luck thing that whoever gets the bean gets to make a wish?
Cindy says
Humm I want to eat toffees ! As for the galette, I guess I'm not gonna make one before january and this year it's thousand that I'll make (welcome to the world of pastry chefs 🙁 ).
Alanna says
Good luck and have fun! AK
Claire N says
Oooo...sounds like fun! I wish that I could come. Remember to have fun!
Anna says
Thanks for the supportive comments. I'm not worried about talking to people so much as forgetting ingredients, tools, etc. I'll report back afterwards.
Jackie, that is a great idea. It would be fun editing it and adding in goofy music. I could make it like pop up videos...
Nah, I'm too lazy.
Chef Alison says
You'll do great Anna! Just remember to have fun yourself!
Jackie says
I wish I could take the class too. Maybe you could film it and we could watch it on youtube.com! Good luck. You'll be great.
Therese/Wisconsin Cheesehead says
Anna:
You are the queen on the artistry of baking, you will be aweseome! And yumm, yumm, yumm, your trials look superior!!!!
I wish I could be taking the class!! Those lucky baking peeps!!
ENJOY YOU WILL BE WONDERFUL!
Janet says
Anna: I watched the Oprah video and you were not only lovely but showed a wonderful sense of humor! You are a star and look at all the wonderful things you just made! I am looking forward to hearing how it goes. I believe you will be a huge success!!! Enjoy, Janet
carole says
Anna
Relax you'll do just fine. You were cool as a cucumber at the PBO and the stakes were much greater there.
Erika says
Anna that galette is stunning! Looks very professional and delicious. And the toffee is making me dream of my holiday candy-making sessions. I gotta get going on that!
Erica says
Both look delicious!