In France, starting from Early January, you can find in most bakeries the beloved King Cake called Galette des Rois. There are two popular versions. Today I am sharing the frangipane version of the King Cake.
Traditionally, eaten to celebrate Epiphany (January 6th), many enjoy their galettes during the entire month of January.
One of the fun things about the tradition is that there is a trinket hidden in the cake. The person finding it is crowned King or Queen for the day.
I often contemplate making the King Cake entirely from scratch, which means making the puff pastry dough myself. However, making this type of dough is time-consuming (lots of folding and resting). So, I choose to use store-bought frozen puff pastry sheets.
The other ingredients needed to make the filling called -frangipane- are easy to find at your local or online supermarket.
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| RECIPE |
|---|
| Serves: 8 to 10 Puff Pastry: 1 Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (2 ct) Almond Cream filling: 7 tablespoons of butter (unsalted/ room temperature) 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 3/4 cup almond flour 2 teaspoons of cornstarch 1 tablespoon vanilla Egg Wash: 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon of water |
Steps:
- In a bowl, mix the room temperature butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the eggs, almond flour, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Make sure to add one component at a time and integrate fully before adding the next one.
- Preheat the over to 370˚F.
- Spread one of the puff pastry sheets on a baking sheet (previously thawed according to the package directions). Remove the corners to create a circle if desired. I used a rolling pin to flatten the creases. **
- Spread the frangipane on your dough. Make sure to leave a 3/4 inch border.
- Prepare the egg wash: combine one egg yolk with one teaspoon of water.
- Brush the egg wash on the border.
- Use a sharp blade to create the design of your choice. Be careful not to cut through the top layer and brush the entire cake with the leftover egg wash.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown
Tips
- If the pastry dough cracks when unfolded, use a small amount of water dab with your fingers to reshape it.
Tools used
Et voila! Let me know if you try this Easy King Cake Recipe.
