French king cake

First of all, I wish you all a very happy new year 🙂 I will do my best to inspire you through my articles. Here is the first post of the year for the epiphany 🙂 It is my own version of the french “galette des rois” · my french king cake !

This week, I didn’t have much time, but I really wanted to make a cake. So I bought the puff pastry, but of course you can make it if you want.

I opted for a “light” almond cream because I wanted it to be less fatty than frangipane, the puff pastry being rich enough. So it’s not the usual almond cream, but a custard version.

Regarding the size, it is possible to cut the dough according to the size of cake you want. A circle of :

• Ø22cm (9 inch) = 4-6 persons
• Ø26cm (10 inch)= 6-8 persons
• Ø28cm (11 inch)= 8-10 persons

Ingredients :

• 2 puff pastry sheets
• 200ml of milk (soja or almond milk for me) (or 7oz)
• 150g almond powder (5.3oz)
• 100 to 150g of sugar (3.5 to 5.5oz)
• 30g flour / cornstarch (1.05oz)
• 3 eggs (2+one white for cream, one yolk for gilding)
• 30g of butter (1.05oz)
• 40ml rum (1.41oz)
• 3 drops of bitter almonds
• a charm

Preparation :

Take the puff pastry out of the fridge to warm it up a bit.

The pastry cream with almond powder.

1/ Put the milk, flour, 2 eggs + white and sugar in a saucepan (or your food processor), and mix well with a whisk. Heat gently while stirring for 7 to 10 minutes.

2/ Once the cream has thickened a little, add the almond powder, butter, bitter almond extract and rum. Mix well with the whisk. And the cream is ready.

Assembly of the Kings’ Cake.

Preheat the oven to 200°c. (392°F)

3/ Cut the dough discs to the diameters you want (I made Ø24cm for the base and 25cm for the top). It is advisable to make the top a little larger because of the filling. Then place it on a baking sheet.

4/ Spread the almond cream, leaving 2-3cm around the edge.

5/ Place the charm on the outside of the cake in the cream (easier to cut).

6/ Brush the free edge with some of the remaining egg yolk and then cover with the second disc of dough.

7/ Press with your fingers (thumb + forefinger & middle finger of one hand) on 1 cm to weld the edge of the wafer.

8/ Using a toothpick (or the tip of a fork stick), tuck in a little dough on the inside between each thumbprint.

9/ Use the remaining yolk for gilding, and spread it on top of the cake.

10/ Carefully use a knife to create patterns. Be careful not to pierce the dough to avoid leakage.

11/ Make a few holes in the pancake with the knife to let steam escape during cooking.

12/ Put the cake in the oven (if possible on convection heat) for 20 to 30 minutes. The cake is ready when the puff pastry is golden.

The french king cake is excellent a little lukewarm.