"Gallette des Rois" ..... or how the French survive January

     

French people have it all figured out.  While the rest of us attempt to recover from the excesses of the holidays by starting new diets and workout regimens, the French don't hesitate to fire up the overs for one more baking tradition: Gallette des Rois.

Popular since the Middle Ages the Galette des Rois (or King’s Cake) is a treat eaten in the New Year after the 6th of January (we were a couple of days early) to celebrate the Epiphany when the Three Kings visited the baby Jesus. 

In the North of France, the cake is made with a puff pastry filled with a layer of almond frangipane but here in  Provence version uses brioche. The top layers are patterned and baked to a beautiful burnished bronze. It is customary to mix a single bean (or a plastic charm) in the almond frangipane.  It was believed that this bean would draw the kings to the Epiphany. Legend has it that in the beginning the bean was used and whoever received it was crowned king or queen for the day and was asked to buy a round of drinks.

Once it was realized that people who didn’t want to pay up for the round of drinks could discreetly swallow the bean, the bean was replaced by a porcelain charm (often depicting a religious figure). Today plastic charms are most often used.  However, the idea of baking a piece of plastic in a cake didn't appeal to me,so I used a chickpea instead (yes, that's all I could come up with, our pantry being fresh out of proper beans).  At teatime, Noah was the lucky chickpea finder - he almost lost an already-wiggly tooth over it, but said it was a small price to pay to be king!~ Gallette des Rois ~[translated and slightly tweaked from Ma Cuisine Végétalienne] Ingredients:2 puff pastry sheets (store-bought)

For the frangipane (filling):

220 gr ground almonds
90 gr brown sugar
20 gr cornstarch
3 TBSP oat cream (or non-dairy creamer)
75 gr soy butter, softened
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large bean, uncooked

For the glaze:

2 teaspoons of oat cream (or non-dairy creamer)
1/2  TBSP instant coffee
30 to 40 gr of fruit jelly or smooth jam

Method:  

In a large bowl, mix the ground almonds, brown sugar and cornstarch.  Add the oat cream, soy butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  Mix until well blended, then refrigerate for 15 - 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 395 degrees.

Unfold the first puff pastry sheet on a lightly greased 9" cake pan, then prick the dough a few times with a fork.

Spread the frangipane evenly on the dough, then add the bean.

Cover with the second puff pastry sheet, taking care to seal the edges with your fingers. 

Optional: with a toothpick, draw a crown or any other festive image on the puff pastry.

In a small bowl, mix the glaze ingredients then evenly brush the top of the gallette.

Poke a small hole in the center of the gallette to prevent it from rising during baking.

Bake for 35 minutes, then turn the oven off and let the gallette sit in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
Enjoy!