Galette des Rois Recipe (King Cake) (2024)

Learn how to make this traditional French Galette des Rois enjoyed throughout January. Layers of crisp puff pastry surround a fragrant almond cream, resulting in a heavenly textural contrast. It's simple to make and utterly delicious- so much so you'll want to make it all year round.

This Galette des Rois pastry is a traditional sweet treat enjoyed throughout France during January. It combines two of my favourite things: pastry (I love all types!!) and almond cream. I combine the two in my Pear Tart and Plum Frangipane Tart.

I use my tried-and-true Frangipane recipe with a slight tweak to suit this cake and share with you a couple of tips I found during recipe testing to achieve a crisp golden pastry top for this French speciality.

You may be under the impression that this cake is tricky to make, but as always, within my posts, I share step-by-step images so that you can see, through a visual tutorial, just how simple it really is.

❓ What is Galette des Rois ?

For centuries in France, the Galettes de Rois was typically baked for Epiphany (6th January) but is now commonly eaten from December to the end of January.

Galette des Rois literally translates as King Cake and was baked to celebrate the arrival of the three wise men (Kings) into Bethlehem. It also marks the end of the festive season. Don't be confused with the King Cake of the South of France, though, which is a yeasted bread studded with jewel-like fruit.

This King Cake comprises 2 sheets of puff pastry (pâte feuilletée) filled with an almond cream (crème d'amandes) filling. The pastry bakes to golden, buttery, crisp perfection, perfectly suited to the rich, nutty almond filling within.

Inside each galette, a porcelain charm or trinket called afève is hidden in the almond cream before baking (you can see mine in the photo above). The lucky person who's served the slice containing the charm is crowned the King or Queen and wins the right to wear the paper crown that accompanies each galette. In the absence of a fève, a whole almond, dried bean, or candied fruit can be used in lieu of these charms.

🧾 Ingredients Needed

The list of ingredients to make this French Epiphany Cake recipe is relatively short. I have made notes below on some of the ingredients, which is worth reading.

• Puff Pastry - If you have the time and inclination, then by all means, make your own Homemade Puff Pastry. Without a doubt, it will taste better. But if, like me, you decide to go down the store-bought route, then make sure it's all-butter puff pastry. You can buy in block form or two sheets of pre-rolled pastry. Make sure it's chilled at all times.
• Butter - Use unsalted butter so that you can control the level of saltiness within. It needs to be a room temperature as it'll be creamed with the sugar.
• Sugar - Caster or granulated sugar will work. You could use light brown sugar, but the molasses within will change the flavour of the almond cream.
• Eggs - In my original almond cream recipe, I use two whole eggs which suits tarts that include fruit, as they impart moisture and the extra egg white aids with structure. However, in our recipe today, as the filling is used on its own, we use 1 whole large egg and 1 large egg yolk.
• Ground almonds - Or almond meal. Don't mistake it for almond flour, which is a lot finer in texture and will dry out your almond cream. Ground almonds are coarser and provide texture and moisture to the filling.
• Orange Zest - Typically not included in a traditional French King Cake Recipe, but I like to add it for a subtle citrus hit.
• Alcohol - Traditional Galette des Rois add alcohol to the filling. It's not a lot and is subtle in taste as the alcohol cooks out during baking. I used cognac but you can use rum, whisky or preferred liquer. But if you prefer to omit it, then you can replace it with one tablespoon of orange blossom water (I love this ingredient!). It can easily be found in specialist grocery stores or Amazon.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make

This Galette des Rois recipe is split into three simple parts. Preparing the puff pastry, making the almond cream and finally, assembling.

I've provided process shots and instructions peppered with tips below to help you out.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Prepare the Puff Pastry

STEP 1. Roll out the puff pastry and cut into discs.

If using a block of puff pastry: Cut the block in two. Roll out one piece of pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 25cm/10-inches wide square or circle (Image 1). Place the base of a 23cm/9-inch cake pan and cut around the edge to form a disc (Image 2). This is the base for your Galette des Rois. Transfer to a parchment paper line baking tray.

Roll out the second piece of pastry to the same size. Using the cake pan base as a guide, make this disc slightly larger and cut the circle approx 25cm/10-inches wide (Image 3). Transfer to a parchment paper line baking tray and refrigerate both discs (Image 4) whilst making the almond cream.

If using pre-rolled puff pastry then unroll the pastry and follow the instructions cutting out two discs and then refrigerating them.

Make the Almond Cream

You can make almond cream in a food processor, stand mixer or by hand. I show each option in my How to Make Frangipane guide. For today's purpose, I'll show you how to make it in a stand mixer. (The same process applies when using an electric hand mixer).

See Also

Keto Ladyfingers Recipe - Low Carb HoserPeanut chocolate cookies recipe4 Ingredient Marzipan RecipeClassic Bûche de Noël Recipe (French Log Cake)

STEP 2. Cream butter, sugar and orange zest.Cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until pale and creamy within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat for 3 minutes to ensure the sugar dissolves fully, and it's pale and creamy(Image 5).

STEP 3. Add in eggs and cognac if using.Add the whole egg, egg yolk and alcohol, and beat together (Image 6). It may look curdled, but it will come together in the next step.

STEP 4. Add the ground almonds and salt. Beat again until smooth and combined(Images 7 & 8).If you use almond flour, then the frangipane will be very smooth. Ground almonds will result in slightly more texture to the cream.

STEP 5. Place in a piping bag (optional). I find it easier to add the almond cream to the pastry (the next step) via a piping bag. Do this easily by placing the bag in a tall glass/jug with the top folded over. Spoon the mixture into the bag and twist it closed (Images 9 & 10).

Assemble the Galette de Rois

STEP 6. Pipe almond cream onto the pastry base. Remove the puff pastry discs from the fridge. Pipe or spoon the almond cream onto the smaller disc, leaving a 2.5cm/1 inch border all the way around (Image 13). Level with a palette knife. Brush the exposed border with egg wash.

STEP 7. Add the fève or nut. It's totally optional, but it's so fun for kids to have a hunt for it later on! Add the plastic of ceramic fèves, whole almond or other nut or bean into the cream (Image 12).

Note- If you're worried and want to remember where it is, mark the parchment paper with a pen. (Do this discreetly so you can still keep the location a surprise!)

STEP 8. Cover the cream with the second pastry disc. Lay the second, larger disc over the top, gently pressing it over the mound of cream to remove air bubbles (Image 13).

STEP 9. Seal edges. The technique I'm about to show you not only helps seal all around the edge of the galette (we don't want almond cream oozing out), it also produces a super pretty edge to the pastry that Galette des Rois is famous for.

Scallop the edge with two fingers and use the back of a knife to push the edge in between your two fingers. The best way to understand this particular French technique is to look at my process image above (Image 14).

Brush the egg wash all over the top (but don't let it run down the sides, as this can inhibit the rise of the pastry). Now chill the Galette on the baking tray for at least 30 minutes. This helps give you a super crisp pastry. You can pre-heat the oven to 200C/390F whilst waiting.

STEP 10. Decorate the pastry, then bake. Remove the cake from the fridge. Brush the egg wash all over the top again (Image 15). This double egg wash technique (learnt via Le Cordon Bleu) guarantees a super golden, shiny crisp top to your Galettes des Rois.

Using a sharp pairing knife, score a design on top. I've done it in radiating arcs, as seen in Image 16. But you can score it in a herringbone or leaf design too. Just make sure not to cut all the way through the dough. Cut a small hole in the centre to act as a steam vent (Image 17).

STEP 11. Bake. Bake in the preheated 200C/390F oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180C/350F and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes until the pastry is deep golden (Image 18). Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

🥣 How To Serve

The Galette des Rois is one of those desserts that needs to be eaten on the day. Most puff pastry desserts dictate this. The moisture from the almond cream softens the crisp pastry when left too long.

I recommend leaving the galette to cool until it is still warm but not hot. That way, you can slice the galette cleanly. It's divine eaten as is but also with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of crème chantilly or a drizzle of cream.

📋Recipe FAQs

❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions

To store: The Galette des Rois is best eaten on the same day. Store it in an air-tight container at room temperature and re-crisp the pastry by baking the galette in a 180C/350F oven for 10 minutes.

To freeze: Make the King Cake up to the point of sealing and scalloping the edges (before brushing with egg wash. Wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw for 15 minutes for brushing with egg wash and scoring the top with a design. Bake as per the recipe.

🇫🇷 More Festive French Recipes

📖 Recipe