Tuesday 31 December 2013

Galette des rois - French Christmas recipe





The Galette des Rois, or king cake, is a dessert associated with the Christmas season in European countries and with Mardi Gras in the United States. Its most notable feature is the hidden prize, usually a trinket figurine, in the cake. The person who finds the figurine in his slice of cake is dubbed king for the day and obligated to buy the next king cake.


Oven: 200 deg. C (fan 180 deg.c) 
Bake: 25-30 mins. until crisp and golden - serve warm or cold
Ingredients:
400g ready-made puff pastry
2 rounded tablespoons of apricot jam
100g softened butter
100 caster sugar
1 lightly beaten egg
100g ground almonds
2 tablespoons of cognac or dark rum

1. divide the pastry in half, roll out each piece and cut into a 25cm round.  Put one round on a baking sheet and spread with the apricot jam leaving a 'naked' edge of about 2 cm.

2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in the egg.  Stir in the ground almonds and alcohol.

3. Spoon the mixture over the jam, spreading evenly.

4. Brush the edges of the pastry with water and cover with the second piece.  Press the edges to seal.
Mark the top of the pastry from the centre to the edges, like wheel spokes, then brush with beaten egg.
Bake - as above.

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