Galette des Rois for Epiphany

There are so many traditions and customs associated with this wonderful feast day. In our family, none of them was really favored more than any other so I decided to basically just pick a traditional food to go along with our house blessing. Since some of my husband's ancestors came from France, I am attempting to make a Galette des Rois which is an almond paste filled puffed pastry topped with a gold paper crown and containing a hidden feve or favor.

This is a picture of a beautiful galette from a French bakery's website

I say attempting because I haven't made it yet but I started assembling the ingredients and making my homemade almond paste when I discovered that having never used almond paste before, I have no idea what "the right consistency" is. I will post pictures once it's done. It's done now and aside from a little oozing from a part that wasn't sealed properly, it baked up very nicely!

Here is my galette along with our tiny little bits of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Here is the recipe I am using which is a variation of one I found on Allrecipes:

Almond Paste

1/2 C. unsalted slivered baking almonds

1/4 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. white sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/8 to 1/4 C. water (to make consistency of paste)

Galette des Rois

1/4 C. almond paste

1/4 C. white sugar

3 Tbl. unsalted butter, softened

1 egg

1/4 tso. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

2 Tbl. all purpose flour

1 pinch salt

1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 dry kidney bean or coin

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbl. powdered sugar for dusting

1. Thaw frozen puff pastry according to package directions.

2. Place almond paste into a food processor or blender with about half of the sugar and process until well blended. Add the butter and remaining sugar and process until smooth. Blend in one egg, vanilla, almond ext., flour and salt. Set aside.

3. Preheat the overn to 425 degrees. Butter a baking sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside.

4. Roll out one sheet of puff pastry into an 11 inch square. Keep the pastry cool, do not knead or stretch. Use a large pie plate to trace an 11 inch circle on the dough using the tip of a sharp knife. Place the circle onto the baking sheet. Repeat with second sheet.

5. Mound the almond filling onto the center of the pastry on the baking sheet. Leave about 1 1/2 inch margin at the edge. Add the bean or coin into the filling if you want. Place the second sheet on top and press down the edges to seal. Seal edges very well or filling will ooze out during baking (Ask me how I know!)

6. Beat the remaining egg with a fork and lightly brush the top of the galette. Use a knife to make a criss cross pattern in the egg wash and then prick several small slits in the top to vent steam while baking.

7. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not open the oven until the time is up or the patry will not fully puff. Remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar. Return to oven for an additional 12-15 minutes or until top is a golden brown. transfer to a wire rack.

8. Serve warm or cold. Place a gold paper crown on top. Make sure to tell everyone about the bean or the coin.

According to this website, there is a purpose to the crown that most people don't understand:

Oh, one last thing about the crown—you’re not supposed to keep it. If you win, you can pocket the trinket, but when you get the crown, you’re meant to place it on the head of your chosen king or queen. It’s a lovely tradition, but one I’ve never seen honored. Everyone I know who’s won, has plunked the crown on his or her head, gloated over winning and dug into the galette.

I think we will let whoever finds the feve have the privilege of crowning our Holy Infant statue.

You can find some crown templates here! Pin It

Colonial Brown Bread

From the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton website:

A convert to Roman Catholicism, Saint Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton was foundress of the American Sisters of Charity, which was the first sisterhood native to the United States. She was the first person born in the United States to become a canonized saint on September 14, 1975.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton's feast day is January 4th. In honor of her colonial heritage, here is the recipe I have used for Colonial Brown Bread.
It's a huge family favorite!

Colonial Brown Bread

2 C. buttermilk

2 C. whole wheat

2/3 C. all purpose flour

1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan.
In large bowl, stir together the flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in buttermilk and stir until all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed. Spoon into pan. Bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted in the loaf comes out clean. Serve warm. Store leftovers wrapped in plastic in fridge. Toasts well!


Makes 1 loaf.

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Most Holy Name of Jesus

Why not start out the New Year with a healthy snack?...

In the Most Holy Name of Jesus!

I just used a boxed mix that I had on hand,

just adding water.

How easy is that?

"If you think the name 'Jesus' continually,

it purges your sin and kindles your heart;

it clarifies your soul, it removes anger 

and does away with slowness.

It wounds in love and fulfills charity.

It chases the devil and puts out dread.

It opens heaven, and makes you a contemplative.

It puts all vices and phantoms out from the lover."

~Richard Rolle~

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Recipes for January ~ Month Dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus

The Month of January is dedicated to
the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

"For there is no other Name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved." ~ Acts of the Apostles 4:12

"Amen, amen I say to you: if you ask the Father any thing in My Name, He will give it to you." - Gospel of John 16:23

January 1st, Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God (New) and Circumcision of Our Lord (Trad):

• Lots of recipes can be found under the label for the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
• Blueberry-Strawberry Cobbler
• Blessed Mary Mother of God Brownies

January 3rd, Most Holy Name of Jesus (New):

• There aren't any recipes in the archives at this point for this particular feast, but all the suggestions from the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary could easily be modified using any of the symbols of Jesus: the Chi-Rho symbol, the IHS symbol, Ichthys, and the Cross.
  
  

January 4th, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (New):

• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Colonial Brown Bread
• Edible Crayons for the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

January 6th, Epiphany of the Lord (New, Trad.)
(In the United States this feast is celebrated on the first Sunday following January 1st):

• Any of the Crown Cakes found in the archives!
• Star or Crown Shaped Cookies
• Nativity Cookies
• Gift of the Magi Bread
• King Cake for Mardi Gras
• Galette des Rois

• Epiphany Feasting
• A Chocolate Nativity Scene
• King Cake for Epiphany

January 13th, Baptism of Our Lord (Trad.)
(On the New Calendar, this feast is celebrated on the Sunday following January 6th):

• Nacho Stuffed Shells
• Christ's Diapers

January 17th, St. Anthony, Abbot (New, Trad.):

• St. Anthony the Abbot
• Potato and Pork Chop Casserole

January 21st, Our Lady of Altagracia:

• Orange Rolls for Our Lady of Altagracia
• Our Lady of Altagracia Orange Smoothies

January 21st, St. Agnes (New, Trad.):

• The Lamb, Symbol of St. Agnes

• Keep out the Lamb Shaped Cookie Cutter from the Nativity Cookie Cutter Set and decorate lamb cookies with white frosting and coconut!
• Lamb Cupcakes
• Lamb Cake
• A Little Lamb for Easter 

January 24th, St. Francis de Sales (New):

• Saint Francis de Sales Honey Goodness Breakfast Bars

January 25th, Conversion of St. Paul (New, Trad.):

• Conversion of St. Paul

January 28th, St. Thomas Aquinas (New):

• The Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

January 29th, St. Francis de Sales (Trad.): See January 24th

January 31st, St. John Bosco (New, Trad.):

• Skillet Lasagna
• St. John Bosco's Feast Day (Bachelor Buttons)

• Stuffed Peppers for the Feast of St. John Bosco

*Here is a picture of the above recipe, which I recently made for my family, substituting red peppers for the green.  It is a favorite! 

Blessed be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!

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Edible Crayons for the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

The feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is celebrated on January 4th. Here is a snack that was served at one of our Little Flowers Girls' Club meetings last year, based on the virtue of Perseverance and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, since Mother Seton laid the foundation of the American parochial school system.

Edible Crayons

Ingredients:

• Pretzel Rods
• Candy Melts (or white chocolate bark/chocolate chips with a little of your favorite food coloring added)
• Paper Labels (make them yourself from construction paper with black squiggly lines)

Instructions:

• Break or cut pretzel rods in half.
• Melt candy melts or chocoalte chips in microwave on medium heat for 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking at 15 second intervals until melted. Stir well. Add a few drops food coloring if desired. Dip ends of pretzels in melted candy.
• Place on wax paper or aluminum foil to dry.
• When dry, wrap with labels and secure with tape.

Four "crayons" will fit perfectly in the little cardboard crayon boxes.  You can then add a printed picture of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton to the outside of each box!

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Epiphany Feasting

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina!


For the feast of the epiphany, I made a couple symbolic things for dinner. The first for the children was macaroni and cheese stars. I used star silicone baking molds and made them little mini mac 'n cheeses to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. They look orange in the picture but were really more really resembling a star.


Since foods with spices are traditional for the Feast of the Epiphany, I made a honey spice bread that was delicious. The recipe is below and is from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic.

Honey Spice Bread

Bread Machine
from Breaking Bread with Father Dominic

Ingredients:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

3 cups Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons FLEISCHMANN's Bread Machine Yeast

Directions:

Add milk, butter, honey, salt, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, flour and yeast to bread machine pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select basic cycle; medium/color settings.

Yield: 1 (1 1/2-pound) loaf

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Blessed*Mary Mother of God*Brownies

Happy New Year

and

*Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother Of God*

The fleur-de-lis with its three petals

united by a single stem has embedded in its

emblematic symbolism Mary's own

supernatural relationship to the Holy Trinity:

Mary is the daughter of the Father,

the Mother of the Son,

and the bride of the Holy Spirit.

(Magnificat, December 2010)

This beautiful symbol inspired me to make a decorative stencil

for this feast day treat!

Supplies:

Fleur-de-lis symbol to trace

(I used an ornament)

File Folder

Exacto Knife

Brownie Mix

Edible Pearl Dust

(Or Powdered Sugar)

After baking the brownies and letting them cool,

I gently placed the stencil over the brownies:

I applied the edible pearl dust with a small paint brush.

This was the result after removing the stencil:

This was incredibly easy and fun to do!

*It has gotten my wheels turning about what other fun designs to create and decorate with stencils*

"The Blessed Virgin's womb remains for ever fruitful.  

Mary leads us to Christ,

but Christ leads us back to his Mother,

for without Mary's maternity,

Jesus would become a mere abstraction to us.

The Lord wills us to 'let his face shine upon' us through

the face of the Mother of God.  

We serve a Mother who seems to grow more beautiful

as new generations rise up and call her blessed."

~C.K. Chesterton~

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