La galette des rois

 In Italy we don’t have “la galette des rois”, night between 5 and 6 of January we have a lovely tale about an old lady flying in the sky on her sweeper and bringing candies to ones who have been good during past year. When I was little I was in love with her and still now I like this legend so much. In France we don’t have this tale but a cake called “three kings cake” in honor of three magi kings of Epiphany. There is a little ceramic toy into cake and the one who find it is “the king”. Until ends of January you can find galette in every boulangerie of France.

Ok this part was easy, now let’s talk about how to make it.. puff pastry is the base of it and until you didn’t get “that turn” la galette des rois” can be a tricky game.

Dough: in a bowl mix 220ml water, 15 pinch of marine salt, 100g melted butter, 20g caster sugar and 410g flour. Work dough until you get this consistency, then reserve in fridge.

Hit 250g butter between 2 parchment foils until you get a rectangular, flat shape.

Put butter over dough and fold it as shown.

 

Roll it gently in a rectangular shape and fold it as shown in phase1. Roll it again in a rectangular shape and fold it again as shown in phase1.

 

phase1

 

phase1

 

phase1

Now roll it in a rectangular shape and fold it in a simple turn, as shown in phase2. Roll it again and fold it again in a simple turn as shown in phase2.

phase2

Cut dough in 2 parts and roll it in 2 discs of 1/2cm each.

Make almond cream filling: mix 70g soft butter, 70g caster sugar, 70g almond powder, 1 egg, 1tbsp rum and a pinch of vanilla extract until you get this consistency.

almond cream

Put it in one disc, stick the second disc over with a little bit of water. Fold edges and bake in preheated oven (185°C) for 50 minutes. When it comes out spread on it some syrup (boil 70g caster sugar with 70g water and a pinch of vanilla, then reserve)

 

 

 

 

If you arrived to the end and result is not too bad you are the king!