lemon myrtle & almond galette de rois
lemon myrtle creme patisserie & almond frangipane layered in puff pastry
the lemon myrtle in the creme patisserie comes through as a subtle aftertaste with floral and citrus notes that adds a fun depth of flavour
I did make my own puff pastry for this (recipe and instructions here from the brilliant nicola lamb) because I love a challenge, but store-bought is perfectly fine if you don’t love the idea of spending an evening bashing butter blocks around
serves eight
ingredients
lemon myrtle creme patisserie
220mL milk
2 tsp lemon myrtle loose-leaf tea
1 tsp vanilla paste
32g caster sugar
15g cornflour
2 egg yolks
almond frangipane
38g caster sugar
38g butter, softened
1 egg
38g almond meal
1 tsp vanilla paste
0.5 tsp almond extract
pinch salt
assembly
2 discs puff pastry (homemade or frozen, save your scraps to make these!)
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk
method
lemon myrtle creme patisserie
combine the milk (220mL) and lemon myrtle (2 tsp) in a jar and let steep overnight in the fridge
in the morning, transfer the infused milk to a small saucepan
add the vanilla (1 tsp) and heat gently over low heat
meanwhile, whisk together the sugar (32g), cornflour (15g) and egg yolks (2) in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy
slowly strain the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly
discard the lemon myrtle
return the mixture to the saucepan and whisk constantly over medium heat until thickened
remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl or container
cover the top with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming
refrigerate for at least two hours until cooled and thickened
almond frangipane
add the butter (38g) and sugar (38g) to a medium bowl and cream together until light and fluffy
add the egg (1), almond meal (38g), salt (pinch), vanilla (1 tsp) and almond essence (0.5 tsp) and mix to combine
refrigerate until required
note: i folded together the frangipane and creme patisserie in the GDR pictured, but if i were to make it again i would keep them separate and layer the pastry cream on top of the frangipane during assembly
assembly
preheat the oven to 200°C
gently roll out the bottom puff pastry disc and transfer to a lined baking tray
note: the size of the puff pastry discs is up to you, and whether you prefer a smaller, thicker galette or a bigger, thinner galette. mine was 19cm diameter and chunky
spoon the filling(s) into the middle of the galette leaving a 2cm border
optional but traditional: press the fève into the filling
lay the second puff pastry disc on top and press firmly to tightly seal the edges
crimp the edges with a fork for extra security
whisk together the egg yolk (1) and milk (1 tbsp) and brush generously over the top of the galette
use the back of a knife to carve patterns into the top puff pastry layer and poke a hole in the very centre
if at any point the puff pastry is getting warm, transfer it to the fridge to chill for 5 minutes
bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until completely golden brown
let cool before cutting and serving
