Galettes des Rois

Better than the bakery!  Seriously…This is such an easy pie to make using store bought puff pastry!  Don't get me wrong.  There is nothing like home made puff pastry dough, but store bought puff pastry dough is a great compromise given the savings in time and effort.  The one I like best is the PC butter puff pastry dough.  The third ingredient listed after wheat flour and water is BUTTER!!!!!  Unfortunately my relationship with butter is not equal.  I love butter but butter doesn't always love me.  I have noticed that my jeans are starting to get a little snug!  

After my brother-in-law bought this galette/tart/cake at a pastry shop on New Year’s Eve, it reminded me that I had seen this recipe before and thought it looked like something I can handle.  I also needed something to make since I had 10 boxes of butter puff pastry sitting in my freezer that I purchased, on special, for $2.48 a box!!!  At that price why would anyone make puff pastry from scratch at home?!??

Most recipes I found called for a little bit of rum but I replaced it with almond extract.  Also because I like my desserts less sweet, the sugar was also reduced from 100g to 85g.  Use an almond instead of a ceramic figurine to avoid anyone from cracking a tooth if they aren't careful.  Not sure if the family was just being nice, but it was mentioned by many that it was better than the purchased Galette des Rois because there was more filling, it wasn't too sweet and it was oh so warm and BUTTERY!!

To help with cutting the circles, I used the base of a 9” springform pan to cut out the puff pastry dough for the bottom, a 10” pizza pan as a template for the top circle of the pie, and the 9” springform pan ring to neatly and cleanly cut the edges after the galette was assembled.  

Who says it needs to be round?  To reduce wastage of the puff pastry dough I made rectangles too and call it an almond tart.  Just as yummy!!!

GALETTE DES ROIS

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry:

450g of puff pastry (1 box with 2 sheets)

Almond filling:

100g of softened butter

85g of sugar

2 large eggs

100g of almond powder

½ tsp of almond extract

Pinch of salt

1 whole almond

Egg wash:

1 egg yolk

1 tsp milk

Method:

• Roll out the puff pastry and cut out 2 circles using a 9” springform pan and 10” pizza pan as a template.  Lay out each on parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  The 9” will be the bottom and 10” will be the top.
• In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time beating after each egg. Add almond powder, almond extract and salt and beat until well combined.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• When ready to assemble, lay out the 9” pastry circle on a sheet covered with parchment paper.  Spoon the prepared almond paste onto the middle of the circle and, using an offset spatula (or back of spoon), start spreading the almond paste from the middle to 1” from the edge of the pastry.
• Place the whole almond on the top, near the edge of the almond paste.
• Brush warm water along the exposed edge of the puff pastry.
• Using the 10” pastry circle, cover the almond paste and lightly smooth the top and press down on the edges to seal.  Using a 9” springform pan ring (or 9" ring), center the ring to use as a guide to cut the excess pastry dough from the edges.
• Using back of knife, create dimples along the edges about 1 finger width apart.  Score the top into a simple design.  Pierce 5 holes in the top to let the steam out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (at this point you can refrigerate or freeze).  
• Preheat oven to 375F.  Egg wash the top, avoiding the edges as it will affect the pastry’s ability to puff (rise).  Bake for 30 minutes.

Adapted from: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/galette-des-rois-kings-cake-recipe/

Cinnamon Torte

Going down memory lane:  I’ve been craving this cake since the 90’s!!!  Ever since Cavendish Mall Pumpernickel’s restaurant closed down in Montreal, I haven’t tasted or seen a cake similar to this, in any of the local restaurants or pastry shops.  This was one of the first “fancy” cakes I ever tried that wasn’t a typical store bought birthday cake.  After finding this recipe in 2016, I experimented and made it a few times for the family.  The seniors all said that it brought back the fond memories for them too!  Even cinnamon haters enjoyed this cake!  Of course the sugar content has been reduced to accommodate our current palates.

This cake can be time consuming because we need to bake the cookies first.  The cookies keep and can be made ahead of time.  Just put on some relaxing music.  Assembling the cake is easy but you still cannot enjoy until the flavours have melded!  Whenever you want to show someone how much they mean to you, Make This Torte!

My family has a history with the Pumpernickel’s restaurant.  My Dad worked there, my hubby worked there and my brother worked there!!!  They just didn’t all work there at the same time.  Pumpernickel’s also had an amazing New York Cheesecake that I compare all other cheesecakes too.  If I ever find a New York cheesecake, that is comparable to the Pumpernickel’s New York Cheesecake, I’ll have a few stories from my Hubby and Brother-in-law that I will include.

Before Pastry Courses

INGREDIENTS

Cookies:

390g     flour

16g       cinnamon

340g     butter

325g     sugar

2          eggs

Filling:

1380g   whipping cream

2 Tbsp  icing sugar

1 Tbsp  vanilla

Decoration:

3⁄4 cup chocolate curl

METHOD

Cookies:

·    Draw a 9” circle template on a parchment paper to use as a guide for spreading the cookie dough.  Cut 15 pieces of 10-12” square parchment papers to spread the cookie cookies on.

·    Preheat oven to 375 (or 350 convection)

·    Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time while mixing. Add flour and cinnamon a little at a time mixing well.  Let dough rest for 15 minutes.

·    Divide dough into 15 portions (approx. 1/3 cup measure for each portion).  Place 1 parchment square over the circle template.  The circle should be visible through the parchment paper.  Place 1 portion of cookie dough on the parchment and, using the template as a guide, spread the cookie dough with an offset spatula to fill the circle.  It will be very thin.  Place on cookie sheet.

·    Bake for 4-6 min or until it starts to brown on the edges. (Careful because they burn easily!)

·    Cool on a wire rack before stacking

·    Continue with the remaining dough.

·    At this point you can wrap and store these cookie layers until you are ready to use them. The torte itself does not take long to assemble.

     Tips and Tricks for making the cookies:  A cut out plastic circular template, made from a tub container lid, makes the spreading of the cookie dough a breeze.

Filling:

·    Whip the cream, vanilla and icing sugar together until stiff.

·    Reserve about 1 1/2 cup for decorating the top of the Torte.

Assemble:

·    Place a dollop of whipped cream on the bottom of the cake plate (this is to anchor the cookie) and place your first cookie on it. Spread approx. a ½ cup of filling (plus a little extra when needed) and repeat until all cookies and cream have been used

·    Put the reserved whipped cream into a piping bag and do 8 rosettes of whip cream on the top on the Torte.

·    Sprinkle with chocolate curls.

·    Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Adapted from:  http://www.food.com/recipe/cinnamon-torte-294038