Eating super healthy might make sense after the whole Christmas over-eating. That’s what sensible people would do.
But the French think otherwise. On the other side of the Channel, January is the season for Galettes des Rois (Kings cake).
Traditonally eaten for Epiphany on January 6th, Galette des Rois is an indulgent puff pastry and almond cream pie (frangipane).
It contains a porcelain figurine, and the person who receives it becomes King or Queen.
But with great powers (and any paper crown) comes great responsabilities and the newly crowned monarch will have to offer his/her people a drink or host the next king cake party, hence the whole shebang lasting well onto January… (but then it means more cake, so why would I complain?)
Orange & Cardamom Galette des Rois (serves 6-8)
Ingredients: 1 block of all-butter puff pastry, 60g butter, 125g ground almonds, 125g caster sugar, 3 eggs, zest of an orange, 4 cardamom pods (shell removed and crushed into a fine powder), 1 egg yolk
1. Heat the oven to 200C/fanC180
2. Divide the puff pastry in half, roll out each piece and cut into a 25cm round. Put one round on a baking sheet.
3. Beat together the softened butter and caster sugar. Stir in the ground almonds, orange zest and crushed cardamom seeds, then beat in the 3 eggs.
4. Spoon the mixture over the pastry, spreading it evenly. Brush the edges of the pastry with water, then cover with the second piece, pressing the edges to seal.
5. Mark the top of the pastry from the centre to the edges like the spokes of a wheel, then brush with the beaten egg yolk.
6. Bake for 25-30 mins until crisp and golden.
Cake and Whisky 