Twelfth Night Cake Or King Cake Galette Des Rois Recipes

GALETTE DES ROIS-KING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With an electric beater, mix all the ingredients for the frangipane cream just until blended. On a slightly floured cold surface, cut 2 circles the size of dinner plates out of the puff pastry. Put one of them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush one inch around the edge of the circle with egg wash (beaten egg yolk). Spread half of the frangipane cream on the center and place the second circle on top matching the edges of the circles. Press all around the edges to glue them together. Press softly in the center to evenly spread the filling. If making 2 galettes use remaining cream and follow the same method for preparation.
• Decorate the galette with a fork, press edges together all around-no pricking. With the point of a knife, make any kind of design being careful not to go all the way through the puff pastry. Brush the surface with egg wash being careful no to get any on the sides.
• Bake the galette in the center of a preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes then 350 degrees for 30 minutes. For the last 5 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake until golden brown. Serve warm with gold paper crown on top.
• For the tradition of Epiphany in the privacy of your kitchen cut the galette in as many parts as people in the party. In one of them, insert a little ceramic toy (big enough to prevent swallowing). In the old days, they used a dried fava bean, so to this day it is still called "la feve." Everyone picks 1 piece of galette the one who discovers the toy is made the king of the day and wears the crown. He picks a queen by putting the toy in her glass and everyone raises his or her glass and applauds. Same process in reverse if a lady finds the toy. Tradition says that the next party should be at the king's expense.

THREE KINGS' CAKE

Steps:

• The day before: For the puff pastry: Tip the cold water and salt into a large bowl, then mix in the hot melted butter. Add the flour and mix the dough with a plastic dough scraper. This dough is called 'détrempe'. Place the détrempe on a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently to make a smooth dough, then flatten the dough slightly with a rolling pin. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Soften the butter by tapping it repeatedly with a rolling pin. Cut into a square, place the trimmings on top of the butter block and flatten slightly. Lightly flour your work surface and quickly roll out the détrempe. Place the butter square on top and fold the dough over it. Lightly tap over the top to ensure the butter is securely wrapped in dough. Roll out the entire assembly to seal the butter inside the détrempe and make a rectangle. Flour lightly if necessary. Take the bottom third of the dough and fold over the middle third. Then fold the top third over the middle third (1st turn). Roll out the dough into a rectangle again. Rotate the dough 90 degrees on your work surface. Fold over the bottom third of the dough, then the top third, as above (2nd turn). Gently flatten the dough. Mark the dough with your fingers to remind you how many turns you have completed (2). Wrap the dough in cling film, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, remove the cling film and set the dough in front of you. Repeat the above steps (the 2 turns) 2 times, completing 6 turns in total, refrigerating for 20 minutes after each 2 turns. Shape the dough into a rectangle again. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Next day: For the almond cream: Whisk the butter in a bowl to a creamy consistency. Add the sugar and whisk well. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Incorporate the egg, followed by the cornflour and then the rum and mix. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and refrigerate for 20 minutes. For the syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil. Leave to cool. Assembly: Roll out the dough to a 1.5-cm thickness and cut into 2 rectangles. Wrap each rectangle in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out each rectangle to a 2-3-mm thickness and form two squares about 30 cm. Lay one dough square over a sheet of baking parchment and lightly press with the 22-cm tart ring to leave a circular impression. Brush around the marked-out circle with the beaten egg. Pipe the almond cream in a spiral inside the marked-out circle, leaving a 2-cm-wide margin. Slip a porcelain figurine into the almond cream. Carefully lay the second dough square over the top of the first. Press down on the edges to encase the cream and remove any air. Use the 26-cm tart ring to cut out the cake (in order to have a margin of about 2 cm around the almond cream). Remove the excess dough. Use the back of a knife to crimp the edges. Transfer the cake to a baking tray. Brush all over with the beaten egg, except for the crimped edge. Rest for 15 minutes, then repeat the process. Use a knife to score the top of the cake with lines radiating from the centre towards the edges. Rest again for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 210°C (gas mark 6-7). Bake for about 15 minutes until the cake is golden, then lower the oven temperature to 180°C (gas mark 4) and bake for 25 more minutes. When the cake comes out of the oven, brush with the syrup.

KING'S CAKE

Steps:

• Make the dough. Sift the flour with the sugar, sea salt, lemon zest, and yeast into the bowl of a food processor. Process on low speed, then add the eggs. Continue processing just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add the orange-flower water and rum and continue processing just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Dice the candied orange peel, chop the butter into pieces, and add them both to the dough mixture. Process again just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Punch down the dough then place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and punch it down again. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, roll out the dough into a square, and place it on the lined baking sheet. Bring the corners of the dough to the center and insert the bean. Turn the dough over and shape it into a ball. Press your thumb in the center to make a depression and push the dough out around it to form a ring or crown. Cover it with a damp cloth and set aside to rise until doubled in volume, at least 2 hours in a warm room (77°F to 82°F [25 to 28°C]).
• Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
• Prepare the glaze. In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and salt. Brush the crown with the glaze. Dip a pair of scissors in water, and make cuts in the top of the cake, so it resembles the points of a crown. Place it in the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes.
• Warm the apricot preserve or jelly, then strain it. Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack, then brush with the jam. Sprinkle with the pearl sugar and decorate with strips of the candied melon, candied orange, and coarsely chopped almonds.

TWELFTH NIGHT CAKE OR KING CAKE(GALETTE DES ROIS)

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 block of puff pastry to form a 10-inch square. Using a sharp knife, cut out a 10-inch round, using a dinner plate as a guide.
• Repeat this step with the second block of puff pastry.
• To make the filling, combine milk, butter, sugar, vanilla and cornstarch. Add the three lightly beaten eggs and mix until well blended.
• Cook in a pot at low heat stirring continually until it thickens or prepare this in the microwave stopping from time to time to stir it (I prefer to prepare this in the microwave).
• Now take from the heat away, add grated lemon zest, rum and ground almonds.
• Stir all together well.
• To assemble, place the undecorated round of pastry on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Spread almond filling over the circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Using a pastry brush, glaze the border with lightly beaten egg.
• Place a trinket or dried bean in the filling.
• Place the second round of pastry over the filling, pressing the edges to seal.
• Using a sharp paring knife, decorate one round with "s" cuts, like swirly spokes going from the centre to the edge of the round or make some cuts "v" shaped cuts with scissors.
• Glaze the top with lightly beaten egg.
• Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Remove and bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Decorate with the gold paper crown.
• Note: if it is your first time observing this tradition, don't forget to warn everyone about the hidden charm or bean!