King cake (Galette des rois)

Instructions

• 1. Fit your food processor with the dough blade, add all the 'butter layer' ingredients and process until the flour clumps together in large pieces and comes together. Place onto saran wrap (or plastic bag) and roll it out about 15 x 15 cm square shape dough. Let it sit in the fridge.
• 2. Prepare the puff pastry In a cooking bowl, add flour and salt and mix. Add the butter and cut the butter with a pastry cutter until you have pea-size pieces of butter (don't overmix). Then add water and volka at a time. Knead them until it becomes together in a large piece. Cover with saran wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 30 min to 1h.
• 3. Roll out the dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin into square shape (enough big to cover the butter layer) and place the butter layer onto the dough (see photo). Fold the dough to close the butter layer. (The butter layer should be enclosd in the dough.
• Now roll it out into a big rectangle (about 45 x 23cm) with the rolling pin and fold 3.
• 4. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes or until firm.
• 5. Repeat steps #3 and #4 twice more. After 3rd times, repeat once more (roll out and fold) without puttnig the frige. (Total 4 times) The dough should be smooth by now. Chill it in plastic again for 30 min.
• 6. Now make the filling : Beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add the beaten egg gradually. Mix well. Stir in the almond powder, heavy cream. Mix well to combine evenly. Set aside.
• 7. Preheat your oven to 180℃ degree. Divide the puff pastry in half, roll out each piece into big square (about 25x25cm or more bigger if you want to make 25cm round cake) and cut into about 23cm circle. Place a circle dough on a baking sheet and prick bottom of pastry thoroughly with a fork. Then spread the filling which you made at step #6 evenly within about 2cm of the edges (Don't forget to bury your fève in the almond filling). Brush the edges of the pastry with egg.. Cover with the other circle of the pastry and press it down to seal the edges very well.
• 8. Brush the pie with egg, and make the center spot. Then draw any design as you like on the top of the pie, using a sharp knife.
• 10. Bake for 50 minute (at 180℃) and remove once from the oven. Dust lightly with powder sugar. Put it back to the oven and bake another 10 minutes (at 200℃) until nicely browned and shiny on top.