Galette des rois, 2022

Today is the Epiphany and the tradition is to eat a "cake" made from flaky (or puff) pastry filled with frangipane (sweetened almond paste). I made our galette yesterday. The dough, while easy to make (it's just flour, salt, water, and butter) takes a while because it must be rolled, folded, and allowed to rest for 30 minutes between each fold. After five or six folds (single folds at first, then double folds), it's ready to use. Store-bought dough is available if you don't want or have time to make your own.

This year's home-made galette des rois.

I had some frozen frangipane left over from a batch I made last year, so that part was easy. I cut the dough into two equal parts, rolled them out, then cut them into circle shapes using a dessert plate as a guide. Next, I spread the filling on the bottom layer and "glued" on the top layer with some beaten egg, but not before I slipped a fève (traditionally a dried fava bean, but these days a small ceramic token) inside. I used a tiny dump truck that came in a bakery-made galette years ago. Whoever gets the fève in his slice is crowned king for the day.

This is what the assembled galette looked like before baking.

Finally, I made some designs on the top layer with a sharp knife and glazed it with the egg wash. After about 30 minutes in a hot oven, it was done.