Kings Rejected!

Have you ever seen that Far Side comic where the Fourth wiseman gets rejected from the manger because he brought fruitcake? Well here's what else he would have been turned away for: chocolate puff pastry!

It's an abomination that only the American market could support. For however many centuries the French have been making puff pastry, they knew instinctively that the only way to make it chocolaty was to fill it with big chunks of chocolate. To flavor the actual pastry with cocoa powder creates something that is sort of neither here nor there...not chocolaty (is that even a word?) enough to be good, but enough to get in the way of the other flavors.

It serves me right for being too lazy to make my own puff pastry from scratch. But this company, DuFour, makes a frozen one that is easily as good as anything I could do, so I went to the store, grabbed a box, and put it in the fridge to defrost at home. I made my frangipane filling for a traditional Galette des Rois (Kings' cake), pulled out my puff pastry, and noticed the little brown label in the corner: chocolate.

In a further (and more incriminating) onrush of laziness, I neglected to go back to the store and exchange it, and instead talked myself into trying a new thing.

I will post the recipe anyway, because I think with regular pastry this would have been perfectly delicious. Make changes at your own risk!!

Frangipane

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 tblsp. flour

2 tblsp. amaretto

pinch of salt

1 packet puff pastry

1 egg for egg wash

Mix all the ingredients for the frangipane and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.

Lay out the puff pastry and cut in half. Whisk the egg for the egg wash with a fork and add a tiny bit of water. Brush the rim of one pastry sheet with the egg wash. Using a spoon or a big piping bag, place a layer of frangipane within the egg wash rim (not too thick or it will spill out during baking...maybe a quarter inch or a little more).

Place the second layer of puff pastry on top and press down the edges so they stick together. Brush the top of the tart with egg wash, making sure not to get any on the sides (otherwise it won't puff up). Using the back of a knife, gently score the egg wash to make any pattern you desire.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake another 20-25 minutes, until it turns golden brown.

Serve the same day for best results!