Galette des rois sweet potato

Galette des rois

In today blog post, it’s all about the sweet potato Galette des rois recipe. This is my first post of 2019 so, I am taking this occasion to wishing you a happy and fruitful new year!!!

Speaking of the new year, the Galette des rois is a traditional pastry quite trendy during the entire month of January, in Guadeloupe Archipelago. As a matter of fact, numerous boulangeries shop windows are full of Galette des rois that come in different flavours.

Also known as the Epiphany cake or Kings cake, the meaning behind the Galette des rois is the celebration of the Epiphany.

Epiphany

The English word Epiphany derives from the Greek language and means manifestation.

For Christians, the Epiphany is in commemoration of the Three Wise Men or Three Kings who visited Jesus Christ, the night of his birth. The Three Kings are an important part of Christians’ tradition because they came to seek and honour the infant Jesus.

Furthermore, Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on the 6th of January.

In Guadeloupe Archipelago, Epiphany also means the beginning of the Carnival season which lasts until the Ash Wednesday.

Galette des rois

Let’s find out more about this delicious cake that will delight your taste buds. Galette des rois is a round, flat and golden cake made with puff pastry and some filling which is usually frangipane*.

*Frangipane is an almond-flavoured sweet pastry cream 

Inside the Galette des rois, there is a little bean hidden also known as the fève in French. Over the years, the bean has been replaced by small porcelain or plastic figurines. Whoever got the slice with the bean/figurine is consequently the king or queen for the day or until the next Galette des rois. 

Usually, when buying a Galette des rois at the grocery store or at any bakery, it often comes with a cardboard gold crown.

Although the traditional recipe is with frangipane, in Guadeloupe Archipelago we love to bring our personal touch to the Galette des rois. This is the reason why there will be many flavours available with tropical fruits or root vegetables.

From the banana, coconut, guava, pineapple to the breadfruit Galette des rois, the choices are endless. At this time of the year, many grocery shops and boulangeries are boosting their sales just with this famous galette.

When I was living in Guadeloupe Archipelago, I do remember sharing a Galette des rois in my parents’ house, then in my grand-parents’house then in my other family members’ house. Needless to say that everyone loves a good Galette des rois when having a get-together.

I love sweet potato, therefore this is my favourite one, here is the recipe:

Ingredients for 6 to 8 people

• 2 ready-made puff pastries
• 200g of sweet potatoes
• 150g of sugar cane (You can use coconut sugar if you prefer
• 1 tsp of cornflour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 80g of grated coconut
• 30g of softened butter

Instructions

• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into equally sized squares
• Put them in a sauce pan with 350ml of water
• When soft, add the sugar, the vanilla and the nutmeg
• Simmer gently over low heat for about 25 minutes
• When the sweet potatoes are crystallised, blend the mixture
• Incorporate the softened butter, the grated coconut, the cornflour and 2 egg yolks, mix together and set aside
• Cut both of ready-made puff pastries into 25cm rounds.
• Put one round on a baking sheet and spread with the sweet potato jam leaving 2cm before the edges
• Brush the edges of the pastry with water, add the bean and then cover with the second piece
• Press the edges to seal
• Mark the top of the pastry with whatever pattern you desire (Zigzags and spokes of a wheel are the most common patterns)
• Brush the top of the galette with the third beaten egg yolk
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown
• The most difficult is to let it cool before tasting

BONNE APPÉTIT!!!