Barely out of Yule log season and Epiphany is already on the horizon. Even though Epiphany is on Wednesday, here we eat galettes des rois all through January. And without any scruples 😉 This apple galette des rois was made last year. I’d made inverse puff pastry in large quantities (20 blocks, no less!!). I don’t think I’ll have the same courage this year, but I’ll make a few galettes, of course. My son has been asking me for some for a while now.
By the way, when it comes to making a galette, forget classic puff pastry and go for an inverse puff pastry, easier to make and more pleasant to work with — but the little bonus is that it’s incredibly melt-in-the-mouth.
Here, I chose to make an ultra-simple recipe with a homemade apple compote. It’s not very traditional, admittedly, but people like it too. If you don’t like frangipane, it’s an alternative. And if you’re a devotee of the classic version, I suggest you take a look at my frangipane galette des rois recipe.
Ingredients & method
2 components · Full recipe
Apple compote (you will have some left over)
Ingredients
- 500 g (17.6 oz) apples (about 3 apples)
- 25 g (0.9 oz) sugar
- a squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Method
1
Peel, core and dice the apples.
2
Cook them in a saucepan over medium heat with the sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon for about 15 minutes, until the apples are soft.
Assembly of the apple king cake
Ingredients
- 2 puff pastry sheets (homemade or shop-bought)
- 1 frangipane (hazelnut frangipane recipe)
- apple compote (see above)
- 1 king cake charm (la fève)
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)
- icing sugar to glaze
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (fan).
2
Roll out one puff pastry sheet and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Draw a circle of 22–24 cm (9.4 in) diameter and cut it out (or use a tart tin as a guide).
3
Spread the hazelnut frangipane over the pastry, leaving a 2 cm (0.8 in) border all around.
4
Add a layer of apple compote over the frangipane.
5
Place the charm in the filling.
6
Brush the border with egg wash.
7
Place the second puff pastry sheet on top and press the edges firmly together to seal.
8
Trim any excess pastry and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers.
9
Brush the top with egg wash (avoid the edges — it prevents the pastry from rising).
10
Score a decorative pattern on the surface with the tip of a knife.
11
Make 3–4 small holes in the top to allow steam to escape.
12
Bake for 30–35 minutes at 200°C / 400°F until golden brown.
Gallery
