A French dessert typical of Epiphany: the Galette des Rois

The galette des rois is a French dessert typical of Epiphany day. Different between the north and south of France for ingredients and preparation, the common aspect is the presence of a surprise in the dough.

The galette des rois ( cake of the kings ) is a sweet that in France is consumed above all on the occasion of the Epiphany. The ingredients are different depending on the production area and range from simple Northern puff pastry to Southern brioche with candied fruit.

Its name is a clear reference to the Magi, symbol of the holiday. The dessert of the French Epiphany hides a broad bean inside: the lucky one who finds it will be the king of the day, a bit like the focaccia of the Piedmontese Epiphany .

Today we will see the Galette des Rois recipe with frangipani and puff pastry . A rich dessert as only the French can make!

How to prepare the galette des rois

1. In a bowl, mix the butter with the sugar . We advise you to use electric whisks.
2. Add the rum and the egg and keep mixing until you get a cream.
3. Then add the almond flour, mixing well with a spatula.
4. Unroll the first disc of puff pastry on a flat surface and brush the edge with part of the egg yolk.
5. Put the frangipane cream in a pastry bag and pour it in a spiral onto the disc of dough starting from the center of the pastry, keeping it about 4 cm from the edge .
6. Hide the whole almond (you can also use another fruit or a small object) and cover with the other disk.
7. Seal the edges well then brush with the beaten egg yolk, a drop of milk or water and make light incisions without piercing the pastry on the surface of the cake, which goes outwards from the center in order to create a small decoration.
8. Bake at 180°C for 30-35 minutes . It should be crunchy and shiny.
9. Serve the king cake after it has completely cooled down. The lucky one who finds the almond will be the king of the day: treat him as such!

Another typical dessert of this time of year is the donut of the Magi , good and full of candied fruit!

The secret of the galette de rois: what it contains

As we have said, this dessert was born for festive moments, especially during the Epiphany period. It was needed to get together, young and old, and have fun together in this last event of the Christmas period . Initially by tradition, a broad bean or, as in our case, an almond was hidden in the dessert from the original French recipe. Over the years, however, the custom has changed and, now, it is more likely to find a small object or a small gift hidden inside the cake.

There is that he places a statuette of the Magi or of the Madonna, or a small casket with a small gift. The story of the galette de rois, then, foresees that it is the eldest member of the family who cuts the slices of the dessert, while the youngest without a peek will have to distribute them to all the diners to then find out who will be the lucky one to find the "hidden prize ”.

storage

We recommend keeping the dessert for a maximum of 1 day in the refrigerator. We advise against freezing in the freezer instead.

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