Hazelnut & Praline Galette des Rois

Before starting this Hazelnut and Praline Galette des Rois recipe, organise the necessary ingredients for the chocolate puff pastry.

Four the dough: Shape the flour into a fountain.

Add the salt...

... and water at room temperature.

Work the dough with your fingertips, gradually incorporating the flour...

... until you get a homogeneous dough ball.

Using a knife, score the top of the ball with a cross. The dough is ready.

Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minute.

In the meantime, placed the butter cut into cubes in the stand mixer recipient.

Add the cocoa powder...

... and knead with the flat beater...

... until the chocolate butter is homogeneous. Reserve in the fridge.

For the turns: Place the dough on a floured surface.

With your fingers, squash the four corners of the ball. Roll out the ball, maintaining the 'cross' shape. The centre of the cross should be thicker.

Place the chocolate butter in the centre.

Fold one side of the dough over the butter.

Fold the opposite side and tap the centre with a rolling pin to even the butter.

Fold the right side over, then the left.

Roll out lengthwise. I used a manual laminator for this recipe, but this operation can be done with a rolling pin.

Fold the dough into three parts. Fold the right side first, then the left.

Roll out the pastry again, lengthwise.

Fold the dough into three parts.

Start by folding the right third over...

... then the left side. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The first two folds are now done. Puff pastry needs to be folded 6 times.

Place the ball on a floured surface. Roll out lengthwise.

Fold the dough into three parts. Start by folding the right third over...

... then the left side. Make sure the edges are perfectly lined.

Give the dough a quarter-turn...

... and roll out again...

... lengthwise.

Fold the dough into three parts.
Fold the right side first, then the left. Make sure the edges are perfectly lined. Make a mark in the dough by sticking 4 fingers in. This means the dough has been folded 4 times. This is a great way to always remember how many times the dough was folded, in the event you want to continue the folding process later or if someone else does.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Place the dough on a floured surface.

Roll out the pastry, lengthwise.

Fold the dough into three parts. Start by folding the right third over...

... then the left side. Make sure the edges are perfectly lined.

Roll out the dough again...

... lengthwise.

Fold the dough into three parts.
Start by folding the right third over...

... then the left side. Make sure the edges are perfectly lined.

The turns are now done. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. At this stage, you can store the puff pastry up to 3 or 4 days in the fridge, and for several weeks in the freezer.

For the hazelnut and praline cream: Prepare all the ingredients.

Place the butter in a bowl.

Melt over a bain-marie in the microwave. Add the fleur de sel.

Add the soft brown sugar...

... and ground hazelnuts.

Combine with a spatula (not with a whisk) in order not to incorporate any air.

This is what the result should look like.

Add the egg at room temperature...

... and combine well.

Add the pralin feuilletine paste (or almond/hazelnut praline paste)...

... and combine carefully.

Refrigerate for one hour.

Transfer the cream into a piping bag and set aside. The use of a nozzle is not necessary.

Assembling the cake: Roll out the puff pastry to a strip with dimensions of approximately 45 x 25cm. Thickness should be about 4 or 5 mm.

Using a mousse ring 20cm, cut two discs of pastry. Cut the pastry with a knife along the ring.

Line a perforated baking sheet with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Place the pastry disc over the baking sheet.

Using a pastry brush, glaze the rim of the pastry ring with egg wash.

Pipe the cream into a spiral, starting from the centre.

Leave a gap of 2 cm from the rim. Don't forget to insert a trinket!

Place the second pastry disc on top.

Press firmly with your fingers to seal both edges. Make sure the edges line up perfectly.

Crimp the edges with a knife.

This is what the result should look like. Cover with a cloth and refrigerate overnight.

The next day: Take the galette out of the fridge.

Flip the galette on the baking parchment.

Glaze the surface with egg wash.

Score the surface of the pastry, creating a swirl shape with the tip of the knife...

... and prick the pastry a couple of times on the surface. I recommend pricking the pastry where the swirl lines are so the holes are not visible.

Place in a fan-assisted oven preheated at 180°C (gas 4)...

... and bake for 40 minutes.

When cooked, remove from the oven.

Using a brush, apply a thin layer of cane sugar syrup over the surface...

... as shown here in the photo.

Place the galette in the hot oven for about 30 seconds, making sure the sugar doesn't cook and turn white.

Remove from the oven.

The syrup should be dry when you touch the surface.

Place the galette on a rack and set aside to cool. Enjoy cold or warm!