Gâteau des rois - Epiphany King Cake
Some time ago I wrote about the Galette des Rois, a festive French concoction associated with Epiphany. The galette is a far cry from the "King Cake" best known in much of the English-speaking world, the yeast cake consumed in New Orleans and associated with Mardi Gras. The real ancestor, or at least cousin, of the Louisiana delicacy is the Gâteau des rois originating in southern France, a yeast-raised ring with dried fruit and colourful icing or similar decoration.
The two cakes, galette and gâteau have similar customs associated: both have a fève, literally a bean but now often a porcelain trinket in the shape of the Christ child, or a king (or, apparently, a smurf...), placed in the dough or filling before baking, finding which brings fortune or duty or both to the eater.
The version below starts from a recipe from the French cooking site Ô Délices (www.odelices.com), which results in a denser product than the New Orleans version, and does not resemble what the word gâteau tends to evoke. With its single rise, the fat and sugar in this dough give the gâteau des rois a substantial and luxurious texture.
Ingredients
400g flour
2 tsps instant dried yeast
100g sugar
100g butter or margarine
200g candied peel and/or dried fruit, as desired
3 eggs
1 Tbp orange blossom water (optional)
[if you omit orange water and candied peel, including the zest of a lemon with the fruit]
1/2 cup warm water, or as needed
Icing, colours and sugar as desired for decoration.
Method
Combine flour, yeast and sugar, rub in butter. Add beaten eggs and orange blossom water, with 1/4 cup of warm water and stir to combine. If the flour can all be incorporated at this stage, turn out to knead; or add a little more water if necessary.
Knead dough for a few minutes until it becomes more elastic. Spread or roll into a rectangle 30cm x 15 and sprinkle half the dried fruit or peel across it, roll the dough up, knead a few times, flatten again and repeat with the remaining fruit. Knead a few more minutes to mix the fruit further and make the dough a little more elastic; it will still be relatively dense.
Line a baking tray/cookie sheet with baking paper/parchment. Roll the dough into a log about 40cm long and form into a ring. Prove on the tray for 3 hours (sic) or until doubled in size. If desired, brush with beaten egg to obtain a glossy finish (this is superfluous if you are likely to ice the cake). Bake in a pre-heated 180C/350F oven for 20-25 minutes. Glaze or decorate according to taste.
The two cakes, galette and gâteau have similar customs associated: both have a fève, literally a bean but now often a porcelain trinket in the shape of the Christ child, or a king (or, apparently, a smurf...), placed in the dough or filling before baking, finding which brings fortune or duty or both to the eater.
The version below starts from a recipe from the French cooking site Ô Délices (www.odelices.com), which results in a denser product than the New Orleans version, and does not resemble what the word gâteau tends to evoke. With its single rise, the fat and sugar in this dough give the gâteau des rois a substantial and luxurious texture.
Ingredients
400g flour
2 tsps instant dried yeast
100g sugar
100g butter or margarine
200g candied peel and/or dried fruit, as desired
3 eggs
1 Tbp orange blossom water (optional)
[if you omit orange water and candied peel, including the zest of a lemon with the fruit]
1/2 cup warm water, or as needed
Icing, colours and sugar as desired for decoration.
Method
Combine flour, yeast and sugar, rub in butter. Add beaten eggs and orange blossom water, with 1/4 cup of warm water and stir to combine. If the flour can all be incorporated at this stage, turn out to knead; or add a little more water if necessary.
Knead dough for a few minutes until it becomes more elastic. Spread or roll into a rectangle 30cm x 15 and sprinkle half the dried fruit or peel across it, roll the dough up, knead a few times, flatten again and repeat with the remaining fruit. Knead a few more minutes to mix the fruit further and make the dough a little more elastic; it will still be relatively dense.
Line a baking tray/cookie sheet with baking paper/parchment. Roll the dough into a log about 40cm long and form into a ring. Prove on the tray for 3 hours (sic) or until doubled in size. If desired, brush with beaten egg to obtain a glossy finish (this is superfluous if you are likely to ice the cake). Bake in a pre-heated 180C/350F oven for 20-25 minutes. Glaze or decorate according to taste.
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