The French Galette des Rois

(WTNH) - Emilie the French Chef is in the kitchen with a French holiday specialty.

The French Galette des Rois
(Almond King Cake)

Ingredients for 4 - 6 people
2 sheets of frozen puff Pastry (I like the Pepperidge Farm brand) - thaw in refrigerator
2 cups ground blanched Almonds (Almond Meal)
1 cup of unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
4 tablespoons of bleached Flour
3 large Eggs
1 cup of granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon of natural Almond extract
1 teaspoon of natural Vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
Powdered Sugar
Egg wash : 1 yolk Egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of Milk
One "Feve". It is a small toy (ceramic or everything that can be heated !) - be very carful with young kids who can swallow the toy

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Prepare the Frangipane (the filling) : with an electric beater (or by hand), mix the Almonds, Butter, Flour, Eggs, Sugar, and the Almond & Vanilla extracts. Mix until all ingredients are well mixed.
3. Most of the puff pastry sheets are rectangular, and I prefer a round Galette des Rois. But of course, you can do a rectangular or square one !!!)
4. For the round Galette, take a sheet of parchment paper a place one sheet of puff pastry, cut 1 circle the size of a plate (use a plate as a cookie cutter). Repeat the same with the second crust.
5. Put one round on the parchment paper. Brush 1 inch around the edge of the circle with the Egg wash.
6. Spread the frangipane (the filling) on the center of the crust (until the edges) and place the 2nd circle on the top, matching the edges of the circles.
7. Press with your fingers the edges to stick them together. Press with your hand in the center to spread the filling uniformly.
8. Use a knife to design and decorate the top of the galette and press the edges with a fork to prevent the filling spreading during baking time.
9. Brush the top with the egg wash. DO NOT brush the edges (it might prevent the crust to rise correctly)
10. Put the Galette and the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and decrease at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
11. Sprinkle with powdered Sugar 5 min. before the end of baking.
12. Serve warm or cold.
13. DO NOT FORGET THE CROWN
14. Slice the galette des rois, and the one who gets toy will be the King/Queen of the day. For the last 5 minutes, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake until golden brown. Serve warm with gold paper crown on top.

Bon Appetit!