February 1, 2018

Big Easy King’s Cake

Posted by HI Cookery under 02 February | Tags: , , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Big Easy King’s Cake

February: Mardi Gras Season

In our neighborhood grocery stores, king’s cakes—rosca de reyes and NOLA*-style knock-offs—have been on sale since Epiphany. Too bad they taste stale, look messy and are overpriced so we do not buy them for our celebrations.

We still like to serve something festive to our friends during Mardi Gras season. So we take the quick and “Big Easy” route by making a mock king’s cake using only a few ingredients: canned cinnamon roll dough (with the enclosed icing) and tri-colored sugars (gold represents “power”, green represents “faith” and purple represents “justice”). Everyone has fun wondering who will find the plastic baby in his or her slice of cinnamon roll cake!

Laissez les bons temps rouler! “Let the good times roll” and indulge in a simple, sugary “Big Easy” king’s cake on Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before observing the solemnity and fasts on Ash Wednesday and Lent Fridays.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cans of cinnamon roll dough (we used Pillsbury brand flaky layers with buttercream icing)
  • sugar sprinkles (yellow/gold, green and purple)

Directions

Line a baking pan with foil and mist with cooking spray. Open the cans of cinnamon roll dough and separate the pieces. Flatten slightly. Arrange the pieces in a ring. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, according to the package instructions. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Transfer the cake to a round platter. Insert a plastic baby among the slices. Stir the icing that came in the cans. Spread it evenly over the cake.

Generously sprinkle with the colored sugars, alternating among yellow/gold, green and purple. Decorate with plastic beads (optional). Serve immediately.

Notes

  • *NOLA = New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Some people bake the plastic baby in the cake but we think it might melt and be hazardous. So we place the plastic baby in the cooled cake before frosting and decorating it and let our guests know the tradition before slicing it. The plastic baby represents Baby Jesus hiding from King Herod. Whoever finds it in their slice of cake becomes the king or queen of the day, is blessed with good luck in the coming year and must host the next Mardi Gras party or provide the king’s cake next time.
  • Rosca de reyes is the Latino version of a king’s cake. It is a round, sweet bread decorated with colorful candied fruits. Galette de rois is the French version of a king’s cake. It is also round but varies within the country’s regions and can be filled with almond cream (frangipane) or apples. Try our easy recipe for the latter here.
  • For more recipes to observe the Epiphany-Mardi Gras season, see our list under Theme Menus.

 

 

January 6, 2011

Galette des Rois

Posted by HI Cookery under 01 January | Tags: , , , |
Leave a Comment 

Galette des Rois (King’s Cake)

Galette des Rois

January 6: Epiphany/Feast Day of the Three Kings

Like many of her girlfriends, Islander has a fascination with royalty. Her home state of Hawaii was once its own thriving country ruled by a monarch (from King Kamehameha to Queen Liliuokalani) and she enjoys visiting their Victorian-influenced palaces that still remain as historic landmarks. Islander was also transfixed on the television during the worldwide broadcasts of the fairytale wedding (1981) and solemn funeral (1997) of Princess Diana, and she anticipates celebrating the royal nuptials of her son, William of Wales, heir to the British throne, and Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011.

For a simple yet regal observance of the Feast Day of the Three Kings (Three Wise Men or Magi), Islander makes a simple French-style king’s cake, galette des rois. Like many special dishes associated around the new year and Epiphany, this king’s cake may contain a hidden trinket, such as a dried bean (la féve), porcelain figurine, ceramic trinket or gold coin, to symbolize the Baby Jesus hiding from King Herod. Traditionally, the one who finds the trinket in his/her slice will be blessed with good luck for the rest of the year and even gets to be king or queen for the day. Top the galette des rois with a crown to represent the real royal of our lives—Jesus Christ, the King of All Kings!

Recipe

(Adapted from Group Recipes)

Ingredients

  • 1 box (2 sheets) of puff pastry, thawed
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • ½ cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • ½ cup almond flour/meal or blanched ground almonds
  • 3 eggs, divided use
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 dried bean
  • powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the extract, almonds, two eggs and cornstarch and mix until smooth. Cover and chill the filling for an hour or overnight.

Galette des Rois

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the thawed puff pastry and, using a round template, cut two circles.

Galette des Rois

Lay one circle on the parchment paper. Moisten a 1 ½ inch rim with the remaining beaten egg, being careful not to go over the edge or it might prevent the pastry dough from rising.  Spread the filling mixture on top. Place the dried bean on the filling.

Galette des Rois

Lay the other puff pastry circle on top. Seal well by pressing the tines of the fork on the edges. Make decorative score marks on top with a sharp paring knife. Prick a few vents on top. Freeze for about an hour or refrigerate overnight.

Galette des Rois

Transfer the cold galette des rois to a slightly larger round cake or tart pan with a lip. Brush with egg wash, being careful not to let it drip on the sides or it might prevent the pastry dough from rising. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. The galette des rois is done when the pastry if puffed up and turns a golden brown color. Remove from the oven to let cool. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar (optional) and decorate with a paper crown or toy tiara.

Galette des Rois

Notes

  • We used an 8-inch round pan as a template to cut the puff pastry. We used a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom lined with wax paper in which to bake our galette des rois.
  • Let others know about la féve or hidden trinket in the cake. Explain its symbolism and issue a safety warning before eating a slice of it. Traditionally, the one whose slice contains la féve or hidden trinket becomes the king or queen of the day and is entitled to wear the paper crown or toy tiara.
  • January 6 signals the end of the Christmas season as it is the 12th day of Christmas or Twelfth Night. The Christian calendar then returns to Ordinary Time in the liturgical year.
  • There are many variations of king’s cakes around the world. Search our blog for different recipes for the new year, Epiphany and Mardi Gras.