How to Cook a Galette for Epiphany

Galette des rois (French kings cake) is traditionally served in France for the season of Epiphany. People outside of France have also adopted this festive dessert, which can be as simple or as complicated as the cook wants. The "kings" are the three Magi, or wise men, who visited the baby Jesus. Whoever finds the bean in a piece of cake is crowned king or queen of the festivities.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 tbsp. of cornstarch
• 2 sheets of puff pastry
• 1/2 cup of almond powder
• For homemade almond paste:
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 egg yolk mixed with a drop or two of water
• Powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 2 tsps. of rum or kirsch (optional)
• 2 tsps. of vanilla or almond liqueur or one of each
• 1 dried bean (lima, kidney, or pinto would work well)
• Almond paste
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• Blanched almonds

Cook A Galette For Epiphany

1. Purchase a puff pastry from your local grocery store.

2. Roll out two round sheets of puff pastry (9 oz. divided in half) or trim two sheets of commercial pastry until they are round.

3. Place one disk on a buttered or parchment covered baking sheet.

4. Spread the disk with almond paste.

5. Place the bean in the center of the disk, and put the other disk exactly on top.

6. Brush the galette with the egg yolk.

7. Sprinkle with blanched almonds.

8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

9. Dust with powdered sugar using a sifter or sieve.

Make Your Own Almond Paste

10. Beat the sugar and and eggs together in a sauce pan with a whisk.

11. Mix the cornstarch and milk and beat into the egg mixture.

12. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, continuing to whisk until it boils. Keep stirring until it thickens and remove from heat.

13. Stir in the almond powder, vanilla and liquor one at a time, and then cut in the butter and mix it in.

14. Pour over the pastry disk and continue as directed above.

Tips & Warnings

• The cook may wish to use some variations. In addition to, or instead of, almonds, the Epiphany galette can be decorated with raisins, golden raisins, colorful bits of dried fruit (apricot and cherry) or other kinds of nuts.
• Try forming the pastry into a ring to represent the king's "crown" and put on "jewels" of dried fruit.
• Warn people about the bean, so that nobody swallows it.