Easy recipe for the galette des rois served at Epiphany in France. Classic puff pastry is filled with almond cream with added pistachio - an extract now taken from my second cookbook, Teatime in Paris (2015). Discover the beloved traditions of enjoying the galette des rois: from its preparation to how to serve it.
What is a Galette des Rois?
I love living in France because the party doesn't end after the festive food season. As soon as the decorations officially come down on 6th January at Epiphany, the Pâtisserie shop windows become extra special, filled with Galettes des rois.
In English, it's translated as King Cake, but it's not really a cake. It's a giant buttery puff pastry sandwich filled with frangipane (almond cream added to pastry cream). The special part is there's a fève or porcelain figurine hidden inside to crown a King or Queen, whoever gets it in their slice. More about the tradition below.
I enjoy trying the top ones for inspiration around Paris - check out some of the best galettes des Rois in Paris. Don't confuse them with galettes de sarrasin, which are our savoury buckwheat pancakes.
This kind of galette is traditionally served in the north of France. In the south, around Provence, it's a brioche crown, or brioche des rois, decorated with glistening jewels of candied fruits and pearl sugar. For more, see my recipe for fluffy brioche.
Is it the Same as Pithiviers?
A Pithiviers is a similar dessert containing almond cream encased in puff pastry and a speciality from the medieval town of Pithiviers, located south-west of Paris in the Centre Val de Loire region. Essentially, it's the same as a galette des rois as they both have a creamy almond filling with puff pastry.
However, Pithiviers can be enjoyed at any time of year and does not involve the fève and crown traditions. Additionally, it also has savoury versions, that are equally popular.
What's la Galette des Rois Tradition?
La Galette des Rois (or King's Cake in English) is traditionally served at Epiphany on 6th January, to celebrate the arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem.
The tradition is to serve the cake at the table. What makes it so special? Well, it traditionally contains a fève (bean) or porcelain figurine. To prevent any cheating when cutting the galette, you must follow a set of simple rules.
Unfortunately, these rules are not always adhered to by the younger generation, as I've seen one too many schoolchildren peek under the pastry to see where is the hidden fève!
What are the Rules?
Tradition still holds strong in France. The youngest person in the room sits under the table and shouts out each person's name in the room, one by one. This determines the order in which the slices are served, while an older/wiser person cuts the galette.
What if you get the fève (figurine)? If it's found inside your slice, then you get to wear the crown and become the King (or Queen) of the day.
Where Can I Find Trinkets or Fèves in France?
When making a homemade galette des rois, you can choose your own trinkets ('fèves'). In France, fèves are usually beans, but in this case, they are collectible porcelain figurines.
Some French bakeries sell them separately around Epiphany. Nowadays, they often sell them individually or by theme - from Venetian masks to famous French pastries. You can also find them in flea markets throughout France all year round.
If you can't find them, you can simply use a shiny coin or dried bean, just like people did before the arrival of fancy porcelain figurines or ornaments!
Easy Pistachio Galette des Rois Recipe
This easy recipe is made extra easy and quicker to make by using store-bought puff pastry. Buy 'pur beurre' in France, as it's better quality than ordinary puff. (Even better, ask politely for the best quality puff pastry from your local boulangerie as we should be buying their galettes!)
First prepare the almond paste. As this contains pistachio as a variation, if you prefer the classic almond, simply add extra almonds in its place.
Mix all the ingredients together and spread it evenly on to the first circle of puff pastry.
Spread the mixture evenly, leaving about a couple of centimetres at the border.
Insert the trinket (the 'fève'/bean) in the paste, towards the outside near the border. If a big galette and a larger gathering of people, add a second trinket. Place the optional chocolate chips on top of the cream.
Brush around the border with a little water to help seal the 2nd sheet of pastry.
Top with the second circle of puff pastry. Press in from the border to seal off any air bubbles around the filling. See in much more detail in the printable recipe card below.
Once the border is well sealed, make indents with the blunt edge of the knife.
Brush with egg yolk and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
How to Decorate a Galette des Rois
Decorate the galette with the back of a knife. It's so much easier to score a pattern when the puff pastry is glazed and chilled first.
Either make a sun-ray effect (most popular in French pastry shops), simple criss-crosses - or be more original with your own creativity.
That's the family fun part in the kitchen. Our daughter, Lucie ends up creating all sorts of simple to elaborate designs - plus it's extra special when it's homemade!
Insert a hole in the middle to release any trapped air between the 2 sheets of puff pastry. I often add a few more holes but if you're worried about it affecting your design, then just make one.
Decorating a galette des rois is up to your creativity (use the blunt end of knife).
Can You Freeze Galette des Rois?
Like all puff pastry, you can freeze a galette des rois before baking. Never freeze it once baked or if the puff pastry was initially frozen.
Otherwise make ahead of the Epiphany celebrations: freeze after decorating before it goes in the oven. Simply chill in the fridge then freeze covered. When ready to bake, either defrost or add another 15 minutes to the cooking time from frozen.
How to Serve
Serve warm (not hot) from the oven with traditional Cidre, sparkling apple juice or Champagne. If you're looking for more budget friendly fizz, there's bubbly Crèmant de Bourgogne, Saumur, Vouvray or Alsace - incidentally, why not serve with a Kir Royal?
Just don't forget the porcelain trinket (or figurine) and a paper crown!
Galette des Rois
Ingredients
Almond cream filling:
- 140 g (5oz/ 10 tbsp) unsalted butter softened
- 100 g (3½oz/ 1 cup) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 50 g (2oz/½ cup) ground pistachios (or more almonds for the classic)
- 115 g (4oz/ ½ cup) caster sugar (superfine)
- 2 eggs organic
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon Kirsch liqueur or rum
- 30 g (1oz/ 2 tbsp) dark chocolate chips optional
- 500 g (or 2 packs of 230g ready rolled circles) ready-made puff pastry (pure butter) cut into 2 circles
glaze:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
Traditional extras
- 1 porcelain figurine or coin fève
- 1-2 paper crowns
Instructions
Almond & Pistachio Cream
- Cream the softened butter in a large bowl then gradually add all the other ingredients and mix together well to form a smooth cream.
- Place the first pastry circle on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment. Spread the almond and pistachio mix evenly on top, leaving a space of 2 cm (about an inch) as a border.
- Insert the porcelain figurine or coin well into the almond cream towards the edge of the galette (to avoid whoever cuts slicing into it). Top evenly with the chocolate chips, if using. Brush around the border with a little water.
- Place the second puff pastry circle on top and seal the outside edges, ensuring there are no air bubbles. You'll be left with the top circle slightly smaller than the bottom so, using a sharp knife, finely cut off the surplus pastry, sealing thoroughly all the way around the galette.
- Now go around the galette's border and, using the blunt side of a knife and keeping it straight, make tiny indentations to perfectly seal the pastry's edges. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg yolk and water glaze.
- Chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes (optional but helps the decor about to be done stay intact).
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/360°F/gas 4.
- Again, using the blunt side of the knife, carefully score a sun-ray or criss-cross pattern by cutting gently into the pastry, but not too much that you cut right through the pastry. Pierce 3-4 little holes discretely in the pastry's decor, so that air can escape.Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden.
Notes
Variations
- To make the classic galette des rois, just omit the chocolate and replace the pistachios with ground almonds/almond flour.
- Chocolate-hazelnut: replace the pistachios with ground hazelnuts and add the chocolate chips.
- Add sliced fresh or tinned pear, or with a few boozy cherries as I show in my recipe book, 'Teatime in Paris'.
This post was first published 8 January 2013 but is now completely updated to include the recipe from my 2nd book, thanks to permission from my publisher, Waverley Books.
Christina
Thanks for the delicious recipe and the information on how to serve it. It's so good, as well as a lovely tradition to carry on!
Jill Colonna
Thanks Christina. Here's also to continuing sweet family traditions!
Lucie
Your recipe is the best mum, I would kill to have a slice right now (even without winning the fève)!
Jill Colonna
Awe - thanks Lucie. We have to put more fèves in next time, as I've bought more for your collection. The boulangeries are particularly generous in their choices of buying them separately this year!
Lora
I love the trinkets! I baked so many things this holiday season to keep up with parties and entertaining and photographed none of it. So you are way ahead of me. A belated Happy New Year!
Jill
I don't know how you do it, Lora! At least you'll have a cleaner camera. Mine is covered in food - time to change in 2013. Er, cleaner camera fingers or the camera, lol. Happy 2013 to you, too!
Purabi Naha
Those trinkets are so cute! I loved this unique galette recipe. Truly, your blog looks stunning and the pictures look droolworthy all the time. I am in no way going to quit desserts after seeing such a delectable spread!
Jill
Awe - thanks Purabi. It's you that's the sweetie!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious
Happy new year Ma'm! I see some profiteroles...a favorite of mine!
Jill
Ma'm - Mad About Macarons. Love it, Gerry 😉
Hester @ Alchemy in the Kitchen
Dunno where my comment went ... what I was saying was "A meringue or am I right?" It took me a minute before the giggle kicked in. You are a hoot! Love your photo journal of distractions over Christmas and this is a gorgeous Galette des Rois - great frangipane filling. Will definitely include amaretto - yuuuuum!
p.s. Thanks for the g+ - just getting the hang of this technology.
Jill
Hehe - glad someone got it, Hester!
Becky
Jill,
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday, "unplugged", and baking like crazy.
I didn't know how the French celebrated Mardi Gras. I love the galette, with the almond cream filling. I have to try this one. I have made the yeast version of the King Cake before.
Jill
Interesting, Becky. Yes, I see that mardi gras (n New Orleans, e.g.) they have the King Cake too but not the same as this French one for Epiphany stuffed with frangipane or almond cream.
parisbreakfast
Must remember not to stop by BEFORE breakfast, especially being in Paris which is comparable to being in the middle of a sugar landmine field...
Faites Attention!
Love your local feves by the way
Jill
Posh fèves, eh, Carol? Aha - I remember that feeling well first in Paris when the pastry shops were all just, well, beckoning... courage!
Ann
Now that I know how easy it is to make a galette des rois, I'm never buying one again. The boulangeries of Paris are cursing you, Jill... 😉
Jill
Hehe. Thanks, Ann - I know I should make my own puff pastry too but I'm too much a lazy gourmet for that part. Made another one and just about to devour it. It makes this one look silly since I found out why my pastry was puffing up too much in the middle...
Nami | Just One Cookbook
Happy New Year Jill! (if not too late to say...) Whoa! You have been baking so much! It's great that you were serious about testing out recipes... hopefully we'll see these recipes this year? I was offline for a week, but I caught a cold. When I do something that I'm not used to do, something like this happens! j/k Looking forward to your posts this year! xoxo
Jill
Nami, in France people say this until end January and even still send cards! Never too late - thanks for popping by and look after that cold.
Mum
Your dad and I loved the blog!!
Jill
Awe - thanks, Mum. Means a lot you dropped in!
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write)
ONE DAY. ONE DAY I will make my own Galette des Rois. It always coincides with back to school and generally coming back from a trip (this year, Burma and lots of jetlag to go with that) so I never get around to it and have to live vicriously though others. Happy New year Jill and Bonne Santé XOX
Jill
Oh, you jet-setters who don't make galettes, honestly 😉
Happy, healthy 2013 to you too, Mardi. xo
Kim - Liv Life
Happy New Year from your BFF on the other side of the world!! You have certainly been baking busy, haven't you?? I sort of did the same thing myself and spent days in the kitchen, but didn't take a photo. Well, Instagram, but nothing real. I'm eager to see about your brioche! One of my all time favorites, but one that I don't make too often due to a few extra calories that seem to hang on around my middle a little more often lately.
Love the pics of the girls! Happy 2013!! L
Jill
Awe - thanks for that, Kim. Happy 2013 to you too, my sunny, bubbly Californian friend. Oh, Instagram. I have that downloaded but I don't use it - hate the out of focus photos but I hear it's fun. Yet another distraction, eh? Brioche calories? Och no!
Jean-Pierre
Right. That does it. Can we go shopping together next time I'm in Paris? I need these feves for an excuse to make my own galette, Jill!
Jill
Too funny, Jean-Pierre. Let me know when you're next around and I'll point you in the dainty porcelain directions.
Thomasina
I love all the photos Jill. Great idea the French have making galettes just after the festive season when everything is usually doom and gloom. I love the Venetian ornaments - what a surprise it would be to find one in a galette!
Jill
It is great fun indeed, thanks Thomasina. We're making it last a lot longer than just Epiphany here!
Lucie
Mum,
could you remake those scrumptious crêpes, meringues that succulent roasted duck and fish à la viennoise please! I ADORED it!
Lucie 😉
Jill
Thanks for that, darling. Of course I'll make them again with sweet words like that - who could resist?
Liz
Oh, how nice to unplug from the computer...I need to try that...and soon!!! I'm sure you and your family had a delicious holiday!I need to put your stunning Galette des Roi on my bucket list...yours is picture perfect, Jill!!! Happy New Year!
Jill
I don't know how you do it, Liz, but I would thoroughly recommend a wee break from ze screen. Bucket list? Love it.
Stella
Thank you Jill for your visit over to my blog. Your comments were really appreciated, and happily it has lead me to discover your blog which is amazing! For a confirmed francophile like me, your page is such a find! I love Paris, I love France and I love macarons! I will be back to try some of your recipes. Best wishes.
Jill
Lovely to discover you too today, Stella, and to hear we have so many Frenchie loves in common!
Pauline
well you're ahead of me still Jill , Happy New Year ! I do like the sound of this with rum and you say serve with cider. That is real cider n'est pas ?
Jill
Yep, serve with real cider or Cidre from Normandy. Oo-ahr. Happy 2013, Pauline.
Jill
Hi Jamie! Great to hear from you and thanks for your lovely wishes. Yep, galettes, galettes - I can eat them every day until I'm so sick of them I won't miss them until January 2014 😉 Stay tuned, the recipes will come out on le blog and many more are in the next book...
Jamie
Happy New Year, Jill! I have been going crazy making my galette... I love making them and eating them. I will have to try your filling since I've not yet made frangipane this year. But all of your desserts in your photos! Stunning! When will we discover them on your blog with the recipes???
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and prosperous 2013!