Recipe - Galette Des Rois Aux Amandes

FOR THE PASTRY
9 ounce Flour
One half teaspoon Salt
7 ounce Unsalted butter
One fourth pt Chilled water
Icing sugar

FOR THE FILLING
4 ounce Unsalted butter
4 ounce Caster sugar
3 Egg yolks
4 dr Almond essence
3 tablespoon Kirsch
4 ounce Freshly ground almonds
1 Dried bean; gold ring or
baby figurine

For the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Cut in 3 ounces
of butter with a sharp knife until the mixture resembles crumbs. Mix in
enough water to make a nonsticky dough. Knead gently, cover and leave for
20 minutes.

Roll out the pastry on a floured board to about 1/4inch thickness. Dot it
with onethird of the remaining butter cut into dice. Fold the pastry into
three, like a letter, then again into three in the opposite direction.
Cover in a cloth and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Repeat this process twice
more and leave for another 20 minutes chilling before using. If you can't
face all that fun, buy 1 pound of puff pastry instead.

Divide the pastry in half. Roll each half into a round of about 9 inch
diameter and let rest while you make the filling.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whisk in 2 of
the yolks, the almond essence, kirsch and the ground almonds. Work together
until you have a smooth paste.

Rinse a baking tray under cold water. Place one of the pastry rounds on the
tray and spoon the paste onto it, leaving a 2inch margin all around. Hide
the bean or the other objects in the paste. Beat the remaining egg with a
little water and paint the pastry margin. Place the second round of pastry
on top and gently press edges together. Chill 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife make a lattice or
starshaped pattern on the pastry surface, but do not cut through the
filling. Pinch the edges prettily together. Paint the top with the egg
wash. Bake the galette for 30 to 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and
brown. Transfer to a rack and cool. Dust with icing sugar.

When cool, serve with a gold crown on top (made with your own fair hands)
and a glass of kirsch or some pudding wine. Eat and discover who will be
king of the feast, then crown them!

Formatted by suechef@sover.net

Recipe by: Two Fat Ladies #FL1A05

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #797 by Sue suechef@sover.net on Sep 22,
1997