Twelfth Night Galettes & the Christmas Jinx

Part I: Individual Chocolate Twelfth Night Galettes

Or

Perfection manifested

I decided to attempt the twelfth night galette with the puff pastry I made way back during the Chuseok holidays. Also known as galette des rois, it is the French version of the “king cake” that is enjoyed on the twelfth night of Christmas. (I actually know nothing about the twelfth night of Christmas, except that you should expect a dozen drummers drumming.) When it comes to food, French cuisine is undoubtedly the best. So perhaps this is the king of king cakes?

Instead of the usual almond filling, I used hazelnut, since it goes so well with chocolate (and because I had it in my freezer).

These designs are traditional too, though, again, I don’t know what they stand for. Being so scrupulously faithful to traditions the meaning of which I know not… Must be a strange personality trait.

Crispy deliciousness with rich, nutty, chocolate paste… They were absolutely delightful! So delightful, in fact, I’d like to make these again for the actual twelfth night of Christmas, whenever that is! All despite the fact that I don’t really like hazelnut. (I’m almost embarrassed to admit that I’m not a big fan of Nutella. Or Ferrero Rocher. Don’t hate me.)

I’m really glad I got to share these with my friend, who I only get to meet once in a blue moon~ Especially considering what happened to the other twelfth night galette…

Part II: Christmas Flops

I saved most of my morel mushrooms for a special occasion, and what’s more special than Christmas? Despite all the helter-skelter of packing, I saved a day of nothingness for some Christmas cooking. This tiny “[spring] windfall morel quiche” is probably the most expensive pie in book, what with its Alaskan midnight-sun-dried mushrooms and all. They’ve really traveled a long long way to end up in my stomach!

But it was a bit disappointing; the filling never gelled and the morels had a “deeply earthy” taste (probably a little burnt). How’d that happen?

And this was only the prelude to the Christmas dessert disaster.

The “original” twelfth night galette

Ruined.

The pan twisted early on during the baking and the top slid right off the bottom! (I actually yelped as my heart fell about a mile.) And the exposed almond filling burned. And the egg glaze burned, too. Indisputably the worst disaster of the entire project. Spectacular, almost!

This, on top of last year’s disappointing Christmas éclairs, has me convinced that I have a Christmas baking jinx. Oh dear…!

Fortunately, the galette didn’t taste half bad with all the burned portions scraped off.

A Christmas miracle, perchance? :D