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

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
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 10 people
Calories 413 kcal

Equipment

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 413kcal
Keyword French galette, galette des rois, galette des rois recipe, king cake
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