by Mike K-H

At this time of the year, patisseries will be well-stocked with what looks like a giant golden-brown biscuit, usually decorated with a gold crown.

Some regions have their own distinct and significantly different versions of the Galette, but the best-known is probably the marzipan-filled puff-pastry version native to Paris, northern France and Belgium. The recipe goes something like this:

Ingredients

2 circles puff pastry 30 cm diameter (or square, in which case cutting out a circle becomes your problem)

125gm butter

2 or 3 eggs (one to glaze the top, the rest defines how rich and nourishing the marzipan filling will be)

125gm sugar

125gm powdered almonds

2 tsp rum, kirsch or other spirit. (Claudine Marchal  points out that this is optional and cautions, tongue-in-cheek, against going to the trouble of buying liquor expressly for the galette. 'We all know what happens to bottles once they are opened...')

1 or more dried haricot beans, metal charms, or antique porcelain figurine.

Preparation

Take the puff pastry out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature before using it. Butter a suitable round baking tin and lay one circle of puff pastry in it.

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs - leaving one for the glaze. Add the powdered almonds (and the optional liquor) and mix the paste thoroughly. Lay it on the pastry base, leaving 2cm all round. Bury one or more beans or charms in the paste.

Lay the second circle of puff pastry on a work surface and cut decorative patterns into it with the point of a sharp knife.

Brush egg over the outer rim of the base, then place the decorated puff pastry on top, pressing down the edges gently to seal them.

Place the cake in an oven pre-heated to 230 Celsius and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (check the colour of the glaze).

The galette tastes delicious warm (NOT at oven temperature!), but can also be eaten cold.

* * *

For a thoroughly-researched explanation of the origins of this Epiphany Cake, and the pagan roots it shares with Christmas cake, see Carol Wilson's article , originally published in Living France magazine in January 2001.

Have fun. 

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