Almond Galette

 

Almond Galette

In France, almond galette (known as Galette des Rois) is typically
served on January 6: Epiphany, the Feast of the Kings. An ultra-buttery, remarkably flaky pastry crust stuffed with almond filling, this is quite possibly the easiest "fancy" dessert you'll ever make.  This is a King Arthur Recipe and can I say a no fail recipe?  Celebrate the Feast of Three Kings or The 12th Day Of Christmas!

Ingredients:

Crust
1 1/2 cups (180g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
Filling
2/3 cup (170g) almond paste
6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup (40g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (48g) almond flour or very finely ground whole almonds
*If you've purchased a 7-ounce tube or block of almond paste, feel free to use the entire amount.
Glaze

1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon water, cold

Directions:
To make the crust: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut the cold butter into pats, and work it into the flour mixture until it's unevenly crumbly, with larger bits of butter remaining intact.

Stir in the sour cream. The dough will be craggy but cohesive. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and bring it together, if necessary, with a few quick kneads.

Pat the dough into a rough square. Roll it into a rough 8" x 10" rectangle. Make sure the underside is sufficiently dusted with flour that you can move it around easily.

Starting with one of the shorter (8") ends, fold the dough in thirds like a business letter. Flip it over (so the open flap is on the bottom), and turn it 90°. Roll the dough into an 8" x 10" rectangle again. Fold it in thirds again.

Wrap the dough in plastic, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).

When you're ready to proceed, start preheating the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.

Divide the pastry in half. Roll one half into a 10" square.

Using a 10"-round template (e.g., a dinner plate), cut a 10" circle. Set the circle onto the prepared baking sheet.

To make the filling: Beat the almond paste, butter, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined.

Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated.

Mix in the flours.

Roll the other piece of pastry into an 11" square. Cut an 11" circle.

To assemble the galette: Spread the filling over the smaller circle, leaving a 1" rim around the edge of the pastry.

To make the glaze: Mix the egg yolk and water together. Brush some glaze over the uncovered edge of the pastry.

Center the larger round of dough over the filled bottom crust, and smooth it over the filling. Using a fork, press and crimp the edge of the galette to seal.

Brush an even coat of the glaze over the surface of the galette. (Doing this step before decorating the top will give your design nice definition and contrast.)

Decorate the galette by using the back of a knife to trace a pattern on the surface; you'll just barely cut into the surface without cutting all the way through to the filling. Poke a vent hole in the center, and four additional small slits at other random spots, hiding the slits in the pattern you've drawn.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until it's golden. Don't be afraid to let it become deeply browned; this slight caramelization gives the butter in the crust wonderful flavor. Remove the galette from the oven, and cool it slightly right on the baking sheet.

Serve galette warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

Want a shinier galette? Try brushing the top of the baked pastry with a teaspoon or so of syrup (maple, agave, golden syrup, or your favorite) while it's still hot from the oven.

Gingerbread Biscotti

Gingerbread Biscotti

Bake delicious gingerbread biscotti with oil using this easy recipe. Packed with holiday spices, they’re perfect with coffee and stay crunchy for weeks! 

Ingredients: 

2 cups of all-purpose flour (284 grams)
1½ teaspoons of baking powder
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Whisk and set this dry mixture aside.
Prepare the wet ingredients. Whisk together:

2 large eggs
⅔ cup of packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup of vegetable oil
¼ cup of molasses
½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Whisk together until smooth and well combined.

• Directions;
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  
  Whisk dry ingredients together and set bowl aside. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl.                                                          Gradually  mix the wet with the dry ingredient to form a sticky dough.  Don't over mix.                                                                       Using two tablespoons, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, one heaping tablespoon at a time, to form a rough log. Might resemble a caterpillar.                                                                              

  For two smaller logs, shape the dough into logs about 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. Alternatively, create one large log about 4 inches wide by 13 inches long if you prefer a larger biscotti.                                       

  To smooth and even out the logs, quickly rinse your hands under cold running water and shake off the excess water (do not dry completely). Use your damp fingers to shape and even out the logs.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes for a larger log or 20–25 minutes for smaller ones, or until the logs are firm to the touch and lightly golden.

Remove the logs from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Then, transfer carefully to a cooling rack and allow to cool for another 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your biscotti loaf.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).

Transfer the logs to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, slice them diagonally into ½-inch thick biscotti pieces. 

Arrange the biscotti slices cut-side down on the baking sheet. Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5–8 minutes, flipping halfway through for even crisping. The longer the biscotti bake, the crispier they will get.

These ginger biscotti are versatile for gifting, snacking, or pairing with hot beverages

TIPS

Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This little step helps the dough come together more smoothly and gives your biscotti the perfect texture.
There is no need to use a stand mixer with this recipe. Both the dry and wet ingredients come together very easily.
After the first bake, let the logs cool for about 10 minutes. This makes them so much easier to slice and keeps their shape and texture intact.
Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice your biscotti. This helps avoid crumbling and keeps those slices looking picture-perfect.
Feel free to tweak the spice levels to suit your taste! Want more zing? Add an extra ½ teaspoon of ground ginger. Prefer a gentler flavor? Reduce the cloves or nutmeg a bit.
Get creative! Mix in some chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruits for extra flavor and texture. For an extra festive touch, dip the finished biscotti in chocolate—it’s as delicious as it sounds!
You can obtain a softer cookie by eliminating or reducing the time for the second bake.
If desired, the gingerbread loaves can be sprinkled with icing sugar before the first bake.
Once your biscotti are completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and crunchy for weeks!

German Christmas Bread ~ Stollen

German Stollen

German Stollen have been around for nearly 700 years and are prized throughout the world as one of the most famous and beloved of all Christmas pastries.  Your search for the best recipe has ended:  Flaky, moist, and divinely flavorful, these homemade German Christmas Stollen is INCREDIBLE!  

Ingredients:
For the Dough:
1 cup lukewarm whole milk
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour ***NOTE: Amount will vary depending on how much liquid is in your fruit/nut mixture. Be sure to drain any excess liquid. Add more flour as needed if dough is too wet.
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) , at room temp, very soft

2 teaspoons quality pure vanilla extract
zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 teaspoon ground mace (recommended but can substitute nutmeg)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 ounces Homemade Almond Paste , divided in half (you

   can omit the almond paste if you prefer) or store bought 

   almond paste.  Marzipan is dyed and shaped Almond Paste is used in baking.  Recipe posted  11/18/2021

For the Fruits & Nuts:
9 ounces raisins
3 ounces candied lemon peel , finely diced
3 ounces candied orange peel , finely diced
Homemade Candied Citrus Peel Recipe
Very Strongly recommend using homemade, it makes all the 

   difference!

3 ounces blanched slivered or sliced almonds , finely chopped
1/3 cup quality dark rum
For the Glaze & Dusting:
1 stick unsalted butter , melted
powdered sugar for generous dusting

Directions:
Place the raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds in a medium bowl and pour the rum over it. Stir to combine. Set aside and let the fruit mixture soak in the rum while the dough rises.

Stir the yeast and 2 tablespoons of the sugar into the lukewarm milk and let sit in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until very frothy.

Place the flour, remaining sugar, egg, egg yolks, butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, cardamom, mace and cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the yeast/milk mixture. Use a spoon to stir the mixture until it comes together. Knead the dough on the bread setting for 7-8 minutes. Remove the dough ball, lightly spray the bowl with a little oil, return the dough ball, cover loosely with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place or lightly warmed oven (just barely warm), to rise until nearly doubled in size, at least 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and add the soaked fruit/nut mixture to the dough (it should have absorbed all the rum by now but if there is excess liquid, pour it out before adding the mixture to the dough). Using the dough hook, knead the fruit/nut mixture into the dough until combined. If the dough is too wet to handle, add a little bit of flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it in two equal halves. Press or roll each piece into an oval to about 1 inch thickness. Roll each piece of marzipan into a log the length of the oval. Press the marzipan gently into the middle of the dough. Fold the left side of the dough over to cover the marzipan, then fold right side over on top of the left side so that the edge of it sits just left of the middle of the stollen (see pics). In other words, don't fold the right side all the way over to the left edge of the stollen. Pinch and tuck the top and bottom ends of the stollen to cover the marzipan. Use the bottom edge of your hand to press down along the length of the stollen towards the right of the center to create a divot and characteristic hump (see pics). Place the stollen on a lined baking sheet. Cover the stollen loosely with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm place or lightly warmed oven for 40-60 minutes until puffy. At that point you can pick off any raisins that are sticking out of the dough (they will burn during baking).

Towards the end of the last rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake the stollen for 30-40 minutes or until golden. You can use an instant read thermometer to aim for an internal temperature of 190 degrees F. Let the Stollen sit for 5 minutes, then use a toothpick to poke holes all over the stollen (this will allow the butter to seep in), then generously brush the stollen with the melted butter while the stollen are still warm. Immediately sprinkle with a generous amount of powdered sugar, rubbing it into the creases and down the sides. Let the stollen cool completely. You may want to give it another dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.

The stollen can be sliced and eaten now or wrapped tightly (wrap in plastic wrap then foil) and left to "ripen" in a cool place for 2 weeks. The liquid from the dried fruits will further penetrate the dough for more flavor and moisture. Stollen can also be frozen for longer storage.

Makes 2 large or 3 medium Stollen.
For eating, I like to warm the slices up for a few seconds in the microwave, it makes the crumb nice and soft.