Galette des rois

Here’s a little recipe to try - this ‘pie’ is eaten around this time of year, I will share more on this tomorrow, but for now here is the recipe. It really is quite easy to make, especially if you buy the flaky pastry. You need 2 circles of flaky pastry about 9/10 inches across, 23 cm. which is about 1lb of pastry. Lay one on a baking sheet ready to put the filling on it. Always best to keep flaky pastry chilled, so pop it in the fridge whilst you make up the filling, which is:

a cup of ground almonds, 1/2 cup castor sugar, 4oz of butter (cut into chunks and left at room temperature), a couple of large eggs, a few drops of almond essence, and a couple of teaspoons of alcohol (rum or I think amaretto - but this is optional). If you use unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt. Mix all this together, then put onto the pastry circle you have already placed on the baking sheet. Brush the edges with egg and put the second circle over the top. Sealing all the way round by pressing. The top is then usually scored before brushing with egg and cooking in an oven at 180’c for 30 minutes until it’s golden brown.

Oh I forgot to mention, you need to hide a bean or piece of orange peel in it, I will explain the reason for this tomorrow.