…there’s a couple in France, high school sweethearts - they’re trading brains.

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Cry. Really, that’s what I should be doing right now instead of writing on foodbeam; and the fact that the post is going to be about la famous galette des rois shouldn’t change anything about my state. Yet it does.

I’m sure you all have someone you miss. Someone you loved more than you thought you were able to. Someone you spent all your days and nights with. Someone who taught you how to make délicieux almond butter truffles. Someone you had tickle-fights and massage-slumber-parties with. Someone to whom you taught a good pile of some of the most randomest words the French language has to offer. Someone you used to watch House with, while eating a pint of cookies and cream ice cream straight from the tube with just one spoon and occasionnaly, your fingers.
I had managed to move on after he left for another country, but somehow House is now onto French television, and as I saw the preview, I couldn’t stop the mini-movies that my head was suddenly screening.

This is bad people. I mean, real bad. But maybe a slice of galette can help. Instant sweet-and-soothing-and-totally-delicious comfort that leaves you with a full tummy and a happy mind (especially since you had the fève in your slice).

*Yep, Dr House pretty much rocks.

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Galette des rois

This is the galette I’ve always seen my mum making. There even is a joke in my house that says ‘maman, je dois admettre que tu as tendance a brulé et oublié de saler un peu tout, mais rien qu’avec ta galette on pourrait croire que tu es un chef’ [mum, I have to admit that you almost always burn and forget to season your dishes, but by the taste of your galette, one could think you’re a chef].
Discharge: my mum actually is a pretty good cook. She just tends to, ahem, cook, thing a little longer than they should and well, forget what the word salt even means.

But one thing has to be taken for granted. This galette. It’s pretty damn good. A rich and buttery almond filling is encased into two layers of puff pastry. Please don’t forget to put a fève into your filling, like I do most of the times.
When I’m feeling particularly happy, I like to fold in a punnet of the frozen raspberries I pick every summer. Spreading Nutella over the base also is a great option. But my favourite and somewhat subtle twist consists in some chopped good almonds.

Galette des rois

serves 8-10

2 ready-to-use rolled puff pastry

For the crème pâtissiere
125g milk
seeds from half a vanilla pod
30g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp flour

For the almond cream
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g ground almonds
100g caster sugar
25g corn flour

For the glaze
one egg
1 tblsp milk

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Start by making a crème pâtissiere by heating the milk with the vanilla seeds. While waiting for the milk to come to a boil, mix the sugar, egg and flour. Then pour the milk over and sieve back to the pan. Cook over low heat until thick, and set aside.

To make the almond cream, just cream all the ingredients together until smooth. Fold the crème pâtissiere into it; then spread the mixture over one sheet of puff pastry leaving a free 2cm-border. Run a wet brush around the border then place the second disc of puff pastry and press the edges to seal well.

Make the glaze by mixing the egg with the milk, and brush the galette with it. Using a small knife, lightly score the surface of the galette. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden-brown.

Posted by fanny who loves nuts, recipe inside, tartes and pies, winter