Happy King’s Day! I love January 6 also known as the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, and the official last day of the Christmas season. It is also the beginning of the Mardi Gras season in our part of the world. From now until March 5, we will again be feasting, parading and costuming. I adapted my almond frangipane filling and puff pastry dough to create this traditional and easy French style king cake. I love Randazzo’s, and Dong Phuong, a couple of our local king cake bakeries. They bake the traditional brioche cakes with purple, green and gold sugar. Here is my sophisticated and yummy alternative to the New Orleans style king cake. Don’t forget to add a little lucky “charm” in the cake. In the late 1800’s it was a gilded bean. Now it is typically a miniature plastic pink baby. You can place a bean or perhaps a little cherry in the cake. Whoever finds the “charm” in their slice of cake is the king or queen and must host the next king cake party! Put on your tiara or crown, tie those apron strings, and enjoy the Mardi Gras season in your kitchen.
French-style King Cake
-
- Prep Time
- Minutes
-
- Cook Time
- Minutes
Ingredients
- ½ cup almonds
- 1/3 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Few drops almond extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temp
- 2 TBSP flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 sheets Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry, thawed
- Egg wash- 1 egg yolk beaten lightly with ¼ cup water
Instructions
- In food processor, grind the almonds. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract and process until blended lightly.
- Then add butter, flour, and baking powder and process to make a smooth paste for about 10 seconds.
- Place one sheet of thawed puff pastry on cookie sheet. Spread mixture evenly over puff pastry leaving a 1” margin around the perimeter.
- This is where you insert the “charm” if you desire. Paint the perimeter with the egg wash. Place second sheet of pastry on top and carefully seal the edges with a fork. Egg wash top of cake again before baking.
- Make sure that the pastry is sealed well and that there are no holes or all of the filling will leak out during baking.
- At this point you can bake the cake or freeze and bake later. I think that it is better to get the dough really cold and freeze again before baking. I also make at least 2 at a time. The recipe doubles well. If you freeze the dough you can get creative and lightly draw designs on the cake with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Place frozen king cake in a preheated 400 oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. When cooled dust with powdered sugar. I also make templates of fleur de lis or other symbols, place on cake and dust with powdered sugar. When you remove the template after dusting you have a nice design. Happy Mardi Gras!
- Servings : 6-8
- Recipe Type : All Recipes, Sweets
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