The Galette de Rois is a cake whose origin must be found in France, and which is usually made for the traditional Three Kings Day (at Christmas).
This Kings cake or cake “Galette de Rois” is a traditional sweet that is made in France on Kings Day and also in Belgium.
It is a cake that is made with puff pastry, filled with an almond cream that is prepared with a pastry cream and almonds, this cream is known as “frangipane”.
Like the traditional Roscón de Reyes that we make in Spain, the Galette de Rois cake has a bean or bean hidden inside and is presented adorned with a king’s crown made of cardboard.
This cake is ideal above all for lovers of puff pastry, as well as becoming one more option to vary and taste other sweets on such a special day as the Three Kings festivity.
The tradition is to prepare it to taste it on Three Kings’ Day, although they are seen in French patisseries until February.
It is a simple cake to make and it is also very rich, ideal to accompany with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee, for snacks, dessert or breakfast.
We can make the puff pastry that the cake has at home or use the puff pastry that is already made.
Galette de Rois recipe (or French cake for Three Kings Day)
Ingredients:
- 250 ml of whole milk.
- A vanilla pod or a spoonful of vanilla essence.
- 4 yolks.
- 150 grams of sugar.
- 30 grams of cornstarch.
- 150 grams of ground almonds.
- 100 grams of soft butter.
- 2 round sheets of puff pastry.
Ingredients for the cake presentation:
- A beaten egg to brush.
- 2 tablespoons of water with a tablespoon of sugar.
Elaboration:
- In a bowl mix the cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold milk, and reserve.
- We beat the yolks together with the sugar, we beat very well until they double their volume, they are clearer and foamy too.
- In a heater we put the milk and the vanilla until it boils, when the milk is boiling we add it to the yolks and mix carefully. Add the cornstarch that we had reserved and stir, cook over moderate heat without stopping stirring until the pastry cream thickens.
- We turn off the heat and add the ground almonds, mix well, add the softened butter to make the frangipane and stir again. Let cool, reserving it in the fridge.
- We put a sheet of puff pastry on the work table, and pour the almond cream on top, spread it out a little while respecting the edges.
- We cover the almond cream with the other sheet of puff pastry and with the help of a fork we close on the sides so that the cream does not come out.
- Beat an egg and with the help of a brush brush the top of the puff pastry.
- Prick the puff pastry a bit so that it does not puff up when cooking it in the oven.
- Preheat the oven to a temperature of 200º C, and heat up and down for 15 minutes.
- Once it is preheated, we put the cake in the oven and cook at a temperature of 200ºC for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180ºC, for about 15 minutes, until we see that the puff pastry is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven, reserve to paint with water and sugar. We leave the oven on with a temperature of 200ºC.
- In a heater we put the water and the sugar to heat to make the syrup, until it boils. Once it boils, turn off the heat.
- With the help of a brush, brush the entire cake with the syrup. Put the cake back in the oven and keep the cake at 200ºC for two or three minutes.
- Carefully remove the Galette de Rois cake and let it cool on the wire oven tray.
