Traditional Galette des Rois Recipe

Published: Oct 25, 2023 · Modified: Jan 12, 2026 by Jill Colonna44 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

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Galette des Rois is traditionally served in France on January 6th to celebrate Epiphany. This easy recipe uses buttery puff pastry filled with almond cream, with a pistachio variation adapted from my second cookbook, Teatime in Paris (2015), alongside the traditions that make it far more than just a dessert.

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! - Christina

galette des rois French puff pastry almond cake glazed and decorated with a paper crown

What is a Galette des Rois?

One of the joys of living in France is that the festive season doesn't end on Christmas Day. As soon as decorations come down on January 6th, bakeries roll out rows of golden galettes for Epiphany. Although these days we even see them before Christmas!

Despite the English name French Kings' Cake, this isn't really a cake. It's made from two layers of puff pastry, baked in a preheated oven, and filled with almond cream (often called frangipane). Hidden inside is a fève - originally a bean, now a porcelain figurine - used to crown the King or Queen of the day.

You'll spot different religious figures inside some of the best galettes in Paris at Epiphany, especially traditional nativity-inspired fèves.

Don't confuse them with galettes de sarrasin, which are French savoury buckwheat pancakes.

brioche des rois, a brioche crown studded with pearl sugar and candied fruits to look like jewels

North vs South: Galette or Brioche?

This puff pastry galette belongs to northern France. In the south of France, especially around Provence, Epiphany is celebrated with brioche des rois - a soft, ring-shaped brioche scented with orange blossom, decorated with candied fruit and pearl sugar.

Both versions matter. For more, see my recipe for fluffy brioche.

galette des rois French cake in front of a creche for epiphany — La Galette des Rois (3 Kings' Cake) at Epiphany to celebrate the arrival of the 3 wise men

Is Galette des Rois the Same as Pithiviers?

It's very close but not identical. A Pithiviers also uses almond cream and puff pastry, but it's enjoyed all year round (also with savoury versions) and skips the fève and crown traditions.

Galette des rois, by contrast, belongs firmly to Epiphany - ritual included. Its name comes from the medieval town of Pithiviers, south-west of Paris (Centre Val de Loire region).

large golden puff pastry cake ready to be served with legs showing of someone under the table — No cheating who gets the fève as the youngest person under the table decides

Galette des Rois Traditions (No Cheating Allowed)

Tradition for this French kings' cake is taken seriously here. The galette stays whole on the table. One person cuts it. To prevent cheating, the youngest person sits under the table and calls out each guest's name. Slices are served in that order - no exceptions.

This way, nobody can angle for the fève. When it turns up, the lucky winner wears the crown and becomes King or Queen for the day.

French bakers still take this ritual seriously - and so do families.

collection of French trinkets that are found in the galette des rois — Fèves or figurines hidden inside a galette des rois to add to our collection

Where Can I Find Figurines or Fèves in France?

When making a homemade galette des rois, you can choose your own figurines ('fèves'). In France, fèves are usually beans, but in this case, they are collectible porcelain or ceramic figurines.

Some French bakeries sell them separately around Epiphany. Nowadays, they often sell them individually or by theme - from Venetian masks, baby Jesus to even famous French pastries. You can also find them in flea markets throughout France all year round. In the UK, I've found these lovely French lighthouses, for example.

If you can't find them in pastry shops, you can simply use a shiny coin or dried bean, just like people did before the arrival of fancy porcelain figurines or ornaments!

slice of galette des rois filled with pistachio and chocolate — galette des rois recipe with added pistachio

Easy Galette des Rois Recipe with Almond & Pistachio

This simple galette des rois recipe uses ready-made puff pastry to keep things stress-free while respecting tradition. (Buy 'pur beurre' in France, as it's better quality than ordinary puff.)

Before starting, bring out the puff pastry at the last minute if it's already rolled. Otherwise, if frozen let the pastry defrost at room temperature. Lightly flour your work surface, then roll gently with a rolling pin to neaten the edges if needed.

The filling is almond cream with pistachio for colour and flavour. Prefer the classic galette des rois recipe with almond paste only? Simply replace the pistachios with more ground almonds.

4 steps making pistachio almond cream and spreading on a circle of puff pastry

How to Assemble the Galette

Line a baking tray with parchment paper
Place the first pastry circle on top
Spread the almond cream evenly, leaving a clean border
Push the fève or figurine into the filling near the edge

pressing down the second circle of puff pastry over the first covered in almond and pistachio cream

Lightly brush the border with water
Place the second circle of dough on top
Press firmly to seal and remove air pockets

sealing the puff pastry border with indents and glaze with egg yolk

Brush the top of the galette with egg glaze made from egg yolk and a little whole egg if needed for shine
Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes to help fix the decor later
Decorate before baking

The full step-by-step method remains in the printable recipe card below.

Decorating a Traditional Galette des Rois

Decoration happens after chilling. French bakers usually score sun-ray patterns, though criss-cross designs work just as well.

decorating glazed puff pastry with the back of a knife

Use the blunt edge of a knife and keep the cuts shallow - just enough to guide the rise. Add a discreet steam hole so the galette bakes evenly in the preheated oven.

decorating a puff pastry cake with a knife over chilled egg yolk glaze

Decorating a galette des rois is up to your creativity (use the blunt end of knife).

Can You Freeze Galette des Rois?

Yes - before baking only.

Assemble, decorate, then freeze. Bake from frozen or after thawing in the refrigerator, adding extra time if needed. Never freeze once baked, as puff pastry loses its structure.

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.

decorated, golden French king cake topped with a paper crown — my daughter's latest galette graffiti (including some Japanese - don't ask :-))

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 small ceramic or porcelain fève or figurine (I love this cute deer!) and a paper crown - it's as important as the pastry! (Small figurines are not for children under 5 years).
A traditional galette des rois made with buttery puff pastry and almond cream, with an optional pistachio twist. Easy, festive, and perfect for Epiphany.

Looking for a main dish that will compliment this for dessert? Make this roast pork with apples. As it cooks in French cidre, you can serve Cider throughout the meal.

If you love almonds and almond paste, then try this French almond cake (le Saint-Germain) or financiers, little traditional almond teacakes.

Galette des Rois

Jill Colonna

A traditional galette des rois made with puff pastry and almond cream, with an optional pistachio twist. Easy, festive, and perfect for Epiphany. Extract and recipe adapted from my second book, Teatime in Paris. Hide a cermamic or porcelain figurine or bean inside with a crown for the winning King or Queen.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Chilling Time 30

Total Time 1 20

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings people

Calories 413 kcal

Equipment

Baking sheet
digital scales
paper crown
small figurine optional - or just use a bean

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 large 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 (or whole egg)
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 (or make a spiral shape using a piping bag), leaving a space of at least 2 cm (about 1 ro 2-inches) 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 cold 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/360°F (160°C fan/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 brown.

Notes

To serve: Serve warm with French Cidre, Champagne or French Crémant from the Loire, Alsace or Bourgogne.

Figurines: small ovenproof fèves or figurines should be either ceramic or porcelain. Small figurines are not for children under 5 years.

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 showed in my recipe book, 'Teatime in Paris' (2015).

Nutrition: 8g protein; 33g lipids; 32g carbohydrates; glycemic index: 9.

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This post was first published 8 January 2013 but is now completely updated with the recipe from my 2nd cookbook.

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