La Galette des Rois (The King's Cake)
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On the 6th of January, French people meet up with their family or friends to eat ‘la galette des rois’. They celebrate in this way the arrival of the three Wise Men to Jesus’ barn. The cake is usually made with almonds but sometimes with chocolate or with apples. The person who finds a hidden charm in their piece of cake becomes the king or the queen for the day, and wears a crown. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 8
Ingredients
- 400 g puff pastry
- 2 tbsp apricot jam
- 100 g butter (softened)
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 100 g ground almond
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 tbsp dark rum (or cognac)
Method
- Step 1 Pre-heat the oven to 200C (Fan 180C).
- Step 2 Roll out the puff pastry and cut out a 25cm circle using half the pastry. Put the circle on an oiled baking sheet and spread on the apricot jam (leave the edges without jam to attach the top in a moment). Roll out the rest of the pastry to a circle of the same size ready.
- Step 3 In a mixing bowl add the butter and caster sugar, then beat until light and fluffy. Combine in the egg, vanilla essence and rum, and then stir in the ground almond. Spread the mixture evenly over the jam.
- Step 4 Brush the edges of the pastry with water (avoiding the jam). Put the second circle on top and press all round the edge to seal well.
- Step 5 Use a knife to make a pattern on the top (see photo, or make your own pattern) and then brush with beaten egg.
- Step 6 Bake for around 30 minutes until golden on top.