The Galette des Rois – a very French tradition in the Thermomix

The Galette des Rois – a very French tradition in the Thermomix

Happy Epiphany!

When you thought the food fest was over, everyone was on a diet and on dry January, comes a very French national obsession with the Galette des Rois (King’s cake). It celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem.

Since the 14th Century, this dessert has been served but only once a year and every single child in France is waiting with great anticipation for Epiphany (6th January).

If you’re passing through France right now, you will undoubtedly notice these delicious cakes everywhere, in your local boulangerie obviously but also in every supermarket up and down the country.

This scrumptious-looking cake is made of puff pastry, filled with frangipane – sweet almonds, butter, eggs, and sugar. It’s flaky, sweet and best served warm, straight out of the oven.

But the reason children love this cake so much is much more than because of its delicious taste, it is also brought by the excitement of finding out whether you will be the lucky one to discover the ‘Feve’ (charm), hidden inside the cake and therefore become the King or Queen for the day.

Serves 8

Active time: 10 minutes – Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets of all butter puff pastry, ready rolled
• 80g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 80g caster sugar
• 80g ground almonds
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• A bit of milk

Let’s go…

1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. Add 80g unsalted butter to the mixing bowl. Turn on for 1 minute / speed 4, to soften it. Scrape down the sides.
3. Add the whisk, 80g caster sugar, 80g ground almond, 1 egg, 1 tsp rum, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix for 3 minutes / speed 2 increasing progressively to speed 4.
4. To assemble: using a plate as a guide, cut out a 20cm round from a pastry sheet and a slightly bigger one from the other sheet.
5. Place the smaller circle on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
6. Spoon the almond mixture into the centre of the smaller circle and spread it evenly over the pastry, leaving a clear margin around the edge. Add the ‘feve’ (charm). In the olden days, they used to use a broad bean! Tip: the nearer the edge it is placed, the less likely you are to cut right through it when slicing the cake.
7. Cover with the bigger circle and press the edges firmly together using your finger and thumb.
8. Lightly beat the egg with a few drops of milk and brush the galette with the mixture. Using the back of a knife, design a spiral of curved sunshine rays starting from the centre of the galette and extending right to the edge. Or you can simply criss-cross the top of the galette with a knife.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.
10. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve while still warm.

The tradition wants that the youngest person – usually a child, but can be equally fun with adults only – present goes under the table and randomly allocates each slice of galette to the guests.

Delicious. Bon appetit x