King Cake Celebration

Today is King Cake celebration to celebrate the Epiphany.
It is a tradition in France to eat a Galette des Rois on January 6th.

The Galette is a flaky puff pastry filled with a buttery almond cream or frangipane (mix of almond cream and pastry cream). 
But it depends on the area you live in. In Provence we have a Gâteau des Rois or Couronne instead, it is a ring shaped brioche filled with candied fruits and flavoured with orange flower water.

A fève (dry fava bean or a little figurine) is hidden in the cake and the person who gets the fève, will be the king for the day and will have to pick his queen. Or the queen will have to pick her king. And both get a golden paper crown.

The tradition is that the youngest child hides under the table and decides which slice goes to whom. I remember when I was a child it was so much fun.
And even at the office people bring a Galette but try to avoid the slice with the fève because the person who gets the fève will have to offer the next one. 

Every year I make my own Galette and we try to eat one every week end of Januray. Yes, we like sweets !
You can make you own puff pastry but the ones you can find at the grocery store are a good option.  
Here is the recipe. It is really easy and quick to cook.

Ingredients:
- 2 sheets of butter puff pastry
- 1 cup of almond powder
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of unsalted butter (beaten until creamy)
- 2 eggs + 1 yolk for the eggwash
- 1 tablespoon of orange liquor or rhum or liquor of your choice (this year I flavoured my galette with blood orange jus and zest)

1. Mix the almonds, sugar, butter, the liquor/jus and eggs to a smooth paste.  
2. Place the first pastry in a baking tray and spread the paste evenly across. Then insert a fève close to an edge.
3. Dampen the edge of the first pastry and lay the second over it. Press down with a fork to seal the sides and decorate with a knife. Pierce a hole in the center.

4. Glaze the top with the egg yolk
5. Bake 30 min until golden brown at 350F
6. Place on a rack to cool

I baked it this morning. My husband and I had a slice after lunch , a second slice with the tea this afternoon and I think by tonight it will be finished. I got the fève so I guess I have to bake one for next week end !! Who is coming to have a slice with us ??