French king cake or a galette des rois, as it is called in France, is traditionally served during the 12 days of Christmas, from Dec. 26 through Jan. 6, to celebrate Epiphany. I love making this dessert and have found a way to make it quite simple by using store-bought puff pastry dough. This time, though, I decided to change the filling to make a savory version of this cake using the Christmas Crock-Pot Chutney. This savory French-inspired tart is an easy dish that will wow guests or gift recipients. I like to serve it during the holidays for a New Year’s Eve midnight breakfast, for lunch to complement a salad, or as a hearty appetizer.
Serves 6
2 frozen puff pastry sheets
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6 to 8 slices of bacon
8 to 10 ounces of Camembert cheese
2 cups prepared Crock-Pot Chutney
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1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons water
- Thaw the puff pastry, heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly dust the work surface with a little flour and roll out the 2 sheets of puff pastry into 9-inch circles. Place one of the circles of puff pastry on the lined baking sheet.
- Cook the bacon until it is crispy, crumble it and set it aside. Slice the Camembert and place the cheese slices in a single layer on the puff pastry that’s on the baking sheet, making sure to leave a 1-inch border all the way around.
- Spread the Chutney (see previous recipe) over the slices of Camembert and top that layer with the crumbled bacon.
- Whisk the egg yolk and water together, and brush the egg wash around the border of the puff pastry.
- Use a fork to prick a few holes across the second puff pastry round and place the second puff pastry round on top to cover the tart. The holes will help to vent the tart as it bakes, allowing the top to become light and flaky. Gently press the edges together to seal and then fold the edges over and crimp with your fingers.
- Brush the top of the tart with the remaining egg wash and place the tart in the warmed 400 F oven.
- Bake the tart for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.
This article was originally published in the December 2023 issue of 225 magazine.