To start this new year, I really wanted to offer you a recipe for "galette des rois" (in french) which is a change from the traditional frangipane (which by the way remains and will remain my favorite flavor!). I chose to include blueberries, a fruit that I love and which I rarely use in baking. The blueberry/vanilla frangipane combination is a pure marvel. I opted once again for an inverted puff pastry with good butter, recipe by Christophe Felder. I will of course detail all this for you in the recipe.
photos 2024
Regarding the garnish, I chose to use blueberries to add a touch of originality. The Epiphany cake is therefore composed of a vanilla frangipane (mixture of pastry cream and almond cream) and a blueberry vanilla compote.
photo 2022
If you followed my stories on Instagram, I wanted to challenge myself on the designs of the cake. I preferred to practice drawing on a sheet of paper before starting directly on the cake. The result was rather convincing. In any case, it made me want to try all kinds of designs.
The recipe proposed today is taken from the magnificent book "Galettes" by Camille Lesecq and Christophe Felder, which needs no introduction ! This book is just incredible and you will find all kinds of Epiphany cake recipes, each one more delicious than the last.
In any case, I hope you like the recipe, don't hesitate to give me your feedback on my blog or on the networks directly :)
UPDATE 2024 :
Preparation and production of the inverse puff pastry :
- First of all, the choice of raw materials is essential ! For the butter, you can either opt for a creamed butter (ideal for me) or for an AOP butter with a minimum of 82% fat, it's obligatory! Concerning the flour, I chose to mix T55 and T45 and it works very well.
- When you start making your IPP, be patient... The cooler the dough rests, the better it will be! This is why I indicated the backplanning in the recipe. Personally I carry out my IPP over 4 days! It doesn't move (this is where the vinegar plays a very important role, so don't forget it). - Always remember to take out your tempera and butter manié (as well as your dough for each step) a good half hour or even an hour before you start turning. If your butter is too cold, you risk cracking the dough or worse marbling it (it will break into several pieces). For the latter case, it will be difficult if not impossible to catch your dough. Don’t throw it away though! The lamination will be less beautiful.
- I did not indicate it in the recipe, but I recommend rolling out the dough using rulers of different thicknesses. Start with the thickest ones and finish with rulers between 5 and 8 mm thick. This “technique” allows you to obtain a dough of uniform thickness and above all not to “crush” the lamination (thanks to Mehdi “The French Pâtissier” for this tip).
- One thing you can also do before rolling out your dough is to cut the sides (lengthwise) using a cutter or a very sharp blade. This allows you to remove the strength from the dough and obtain a more regular layer (thanks to Patrice alias "Les Patriceries")
- Finally, if you want to get the "heart of the IPP", you can also cut each end of the dough once rolled out and before making the turns. This gives you a perfect rectangle that is easier to fold and spread. * Do not throw away IPP scraps. Leave them flat and layer them on top of each other before re-spreading them. Above all, don't make a ball.
Shaping and cooking the PFI (galette):
- When assembling your cake and especially to ensure it is round, avoid moving your dough discs. The ideal is to place your first dough on a sheet of baking paper. Then add your frozen filling. When you place the second disc on the first, turn it a quarter turn. This way, the dough will shrink in the same way horizontally as it does vertically and you will obtain a perfect circle.
- Cutting the Epiphany cake must be done using a very sharp blade (scalpel, cutter, etc.) and in one go! If you go over the already cut dough several times, you will not obtain very clean lamination.
- Then place your cut pancake and rest ideally overnight before handling it. You will then have to turn it over and place it on a perforated baking sheet covered with a silpain mat (with this type of mat, cooking will be more uniform and the bottom of the pancake will be very crispy).
- It is important to brown your cake twice (yolk + liquid cream) before making the designs using a scalpel (without pressing too much).
- Cooking is done in 2 stages or rather in 3 (details in the recipe). If you want a very flat cake, it is important to use 4 to 5 cm cookie cutters on which will rest a sheet of baking paper, a perforated plate and some weight ! This will allow the cake to grow harmoniously.
- Last tip, if like me, your fear is that your frangipane will boil over during cooking, you can pre-cook it at 160°C for 8 minutes before freezing it (still in its circle). Your frangipane will not move (thanks to Juchamalo for this great tip).
Source : Galettes, Christophe Felder & Camille Lesecq, Feuilletage inversé : the detailed step-by-step explanation ; pages 22-29 + explanations of La Pâte de Dom
Ingredients for "a galette des rois" for 6-8 people :
Inverted puff pastry (for around 1kg of dough) :
Tempera ("La détrempe") (D-4) :
15cl of cold water
1 tablespoon of white spirit vinegar
18g Guérande fleur de sel
350g T55 flour
115g of very softened AOP butter 82% MG minimum
1- Pour cold water, white vinegar and salt into a container and mix lightly to dissolve the salt. 2- Put the sifted flour, water and softened butter in the bowl of your food processor fitted with the hook.
3- Start by mixing at low speed. Continue to knead the dough until it is smooth and homogeneous (very important, there should be no more pieces of butter. Roll out the dough on your work surface if necessary).
4- Wrap the tempera in a 15 x 18 cm baking paper template. Spread the tempera using a roller to form a perfect rectangle. Flatten the tempera using a wooden board so that it is of uniform thickness. Refrigerate overnight.
The "beurre manié" (D-4) :
375g of AOP softened butter 82% minimum fat
150g T45 flour
1-Cut the butter into cubes and place them in the food processor bowl. Add the previously sifted flour.
2- Mix these two ingredients gently using the paddle until the flour is completely absorbed by the butter. Pour the mixture onto a 20 x 36 cm baking paper template.
The first double round (D-3) :
1- The next day, take the tempera and the "beurre manié" out of the fridge at least 1 hour before starting the first double turn. The "beurre manié" should not be too cold and should have the same texture as the tempera.
2- Place the tempera in the center of the "beurre manié". Completely wrap the tempera in the "beurre manié" and seal all openings. Then turn the dough so that the joint is vertical. If your butter is not too sticky, start spreading it; otherwise, refrigerate for 10 minutes.
3- Flour properly. Spread the lamination to a thickness of approximately 8 mm (the length should correspond to 3 times the width).
4- Fold the lower part of the lamination two thirds of the way up. Then fold the upper part so that the two ends meet.
5- Then fold the whole thing in half, so as to obtain a double turn. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for 2 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
The second double round (D-2):
1- Take the dough out of the refrigerator an hour before, roll it out again.
2- Repeat the operation by making the same turn (a second double turn). Place the dough in the cold again for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
The simple round (D-1) :
1- After the dough has rested, take it out of the refrigerator an hour before, turn it a quarter turn and roll it out again lengthwise.
2- Then fold it into thirds: fold the upper third over the dough and cover it with the lower third so as to obtain a “simple turn”. Reserve two hours in the refrigerator again before using your puff pastry.
Blueberry compote (to make 2 or even 3 days in advance) :
180g fresh or frozen blueberries
30g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
1.8g of NH pectin
1- In a saucepan, cook the blueberries over medium heat with 20g of caster sugar and the split and scraped vanilla until you obtain a compote.
2- Mix the NH pectin with the remaining 10g of caster sugar.
3- Add them to the compote. Mix and let boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
4- Pour the compote into a salad bowl, cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
Vanilla pastry cream (make 2 days in advance):
1/2 vanilla pod 25cl of whole milk
60g caster sugar
60g egg yolks
25g cornstarch
25g butter
1- Cut and scrape the vanilla pod.
2- In a saucepan, boil the milk with half the sugar and the vanilla pod cut in half and scraped. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
3- In a salad bowl, whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar and the cornstarch.
4- Heat the milk and pour it in a thin stream over the yolks-sugar-cornstarch mixture. Mix before pouring everything back into the saucepan.
5- Whisk vigorously over high heat until the cream thickens.
6- Add the butter off the heat and whisk until incorporated.
7- Pour everything onto cling film, cover with the film. Place the cream in the freezer for 10 minutes for faster cooling, then store it in the refrigerator.
Frangipane almond cream (make 2 days in advance):
65g vanilla pastry cream
65g butter
1 egg 1/2 vanilla pod
65g caster sugar
65g of almond powder
1- Soften the butter slightly in a bain-marie or in the microwave so that it is well softened.
2- Add the egg, the scraped vanilla, mix, then pour in the sugar and the almond powder.
3- Smooth this cream well for 1 minute
4- Incorporate the previously whipped pastry cream.
5- Pour half of the vanilla frangipane cream into a circle 16 cm in diameter, wrapped in film and surrounded by rhodoid. Pipe the blueberry compote inside. Add the bean. Pour in the remaining frangipane cream. Smooth. Leave overnight in the freezer.
Assembly and finishing touches (over 2 days):
700g inverted puff pastry
1 egg yolk 4g of whole liquid cream
1- Roll out two pieces of inverted puff pastry 3-4 mm thick. Leave to rest for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2- On the first puff pastry crust, place the blueberry vanilla frangipane cream in the center, brush with water over 1 cm and cover with the second crust. Press hard. Leave to rest again for at least 2 hours (or even overnight).
3- Using a 22 cm diameter circle and a very sharp blade, cut the dough. Let the cake rest again for at least 2 hours (or even overnight) in the refrigerator.
4- Turn the pancake over and place it on a silpat mat or a sheet of parchment paper placed on a perforated baking sheet. Whisk the egg yolk with 4g of full-fat liquid cream and brush the pancake, starting from the center and stretching the glaze (be careful not to let the glaze run onto the edges of the pancake). Reserve in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5- Brown a second time. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Make the designs on the cake and make a few holes. Reserve again in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
6- Preheat the oven to 195°C. Place cookie cutters 4 cm high on each corner of the plate. Place a sheet of baking paper on the cookie cutters as well as another perforated plate. Finally place a weight on the plate.
7- Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 175°C and continue cooking for 50 minutes or even 1 hour.
8- Once out of the oven, carefully remove the sheet of baking paper from the cake (you can possibly make a syrup to make your cake shine more). Let cool before eating.
