The galette des rois, an emblematic King cake, is very popular in France and traditionally made to celebrate the Christian feast of Epiphany on January 6, just a few days after Christmas. It is prepared with classic or inverted puff pastry and filled with almond cream or frangipane cream. The frangipane cream is an almond cream lightened with pastry cream (crème pâtissière).
GALETTE DES ROIS
After the Christmas log and the turkey, we eagerly await the king cake! I am like a child waiting for Santa Claus; we are not there yet, but it is starting to appear in bakeries everywhere, so we can indulge ourselves from today.
Who doesn’t love the delicious galette des rois, so special for its crispness and typical taste!
At Epiphany, some people go for the galette, but others prefer the brioche des rois which is just as tasty.
I don’t think they’re comparable; I prepare both during the month of January.
You can listen to this crisp as it is cut on the video. Just listening to it makes your taste buds tingle. I love it filled with almond cream as much as with frangipane (almond cream and pastry cream.
I think by the end of the king cake season, I will offer you one or two. others. I made this galette with classic puff pastry but I also make it with inverted puff pastry, both are perfect.
Galette des rois frangipane
You can watch the recipe on video to help you get the best result. Many of my subscribers on social networks who were having trouble getting their galette des rois to bake properly and crisp up all the way through have succeeded.
crispy galette des rois
The recipe on video
Table of Contents
Ingredients:
NB: Find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
For a galette of 24/26 cm (9.4/10.2 inches)
A puff pastry that you can prepare the day before, classic puff pastry recipe, a quick or inverted puff pastry (link above) or 500 g ready-made puff pastry
Almond Cream filling
You can choose a frangipane cream if you like or try both.
- 100 g (3.5 oz) soft butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract.
- 100 g sugar (3.5 oz)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) almond powder
- 100 g of eggs, almost 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of liquid vanilla, rum, or almond extract
- A ceramic fève or an almond.
Sugar Syrup for glazing
- 50 ml (1.8 oz) water
- 40 g (1.4 oz) sugar
Egg wash
- one egg yolk and a little egg white, beaten together
Preparation steps :
Almond Cream filling
1. Work the butter into a pomade, then add the sugar and vanilla. Mix without whisking to cream the mixture.
2. Add a small amount of eggs and mix gently, without whisking, to prevent the cream from puffing up during baking.
3. Continue by adding a little egg, then a little almond powder, mixing between each addition, until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Put the mixture into a piping bag and let it rest in the refrigerator until use.
Sugar Syrup for glazing
Bring everything to a boil, then remove from heat as soon as the sugar is completely dissolved. Use the syrup when it is cold, on a hot galette.
Assemble the galette
1. Divide the puff pastry into two portions.
2. Roll out one piece of puff pastry to a thickness of 3 mm (0.1 in) on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper, then place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to prevent it from shrinking during cutting.
3. Then, remove the pastry from the refrigerator, and using a sharp knife or cutter, cut out a disc, using a pastry ring of 24 or 26 cm (9.5 or 10.2 in) as a guide.
4. Repeat the process with the second half of the puff pastry.
5. Fill the first disc with almond cream, leaving a 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 in) border around the edge.
5. Add a fève or a nut, it’s optional but in tradition it is considered mandatory. Whoever finds it will be crowned king or queen for the day. The fève is usually ceramic, so be sure to inform your guests that there is one inside. You can also replace it with a nut. Place it in the cream along the edge.
7. Moisten the empty edges with a bit of water to help the second disc adhere. You can also brush the edges with egg yolk, ensuring it does not spill over the sides, as this would hinder the puff pastry from rising properly.
8. Cover with the second disc, gently smooth the top with your hand to remove any air, and press the edges with your fingers to seal the two discs together.
how to make a galette des rois
9. Flip the galette onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Note : You can store the galette, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator until the next day, either before or after flipping it.
10. Press firmly along the edges to seal the border (the 2 to 3 cm / 0.8 / 1.2 in without cream).
11. Using the blunt side of a knife, scallop the edges as shown in the photo. This step is optional.
12. Brush the top of the galette with beaten egg (1 yolk and a bit of white) using a pastry brush, then let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or longer. Only brush the top, avoiding the sides, to ensure the puff pastry rises properly.
13. Once the first layer of egg wash has set, apply a second layer and then decorate the galette by gently tracing patterns of your choice on the surface using a knife or a toothpick, wiping after each pass.
Below, the first model of king cake, as I had made three.
14. Using the blunt side of a knife, trace arcs starting from the center of the galette. You can use a cake board or a plate to help create the arcs neatly.
15. Begin with light strokes, and once you’ve finished, go over them a second time (this time without the plate) to make the arcs more distinct. Be careful not to press too hard with the knife; work gently to avoid piercing the pastry.
Galette, 24 cm (9.45 inches) (1st photo): I traced the arcs without going all the way to the edges and crimped the edges quite broadly.
Galette, 26 cm (10.3 inches) (3rd photo): Here, I traced the arcs all the way to the edges.
After the second pass with the knife to properly trace (the arcs), make sure to go gently to avoid piercing the dough.
Baking the galette
Very important step for ensuring the puff pastry is cooked through to the center.
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. When the oven is ready, prick the galette with a wooden skewer at 6 spots, where you traced the arcs.
3. Lightly moisten the baking tray, under the parchment paper (this helps the puff pastry rise).
4. Place the galette in the oven on the second rack from the bottom and bake for :
10 minutes at 200°C (400°F), then
20 minutes at 180°C (350°F), followed by
20 minutes at 160°C (320°F), and finally
30 to 40 minutes at 140°C (280°F).
The total baking time takes about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. The galette should be golden brown and crisp.
If the galette browns too much on top, place the drip pan on the top rack.
5. As soon as the galette comes out of the oven, brush the cold syrup over the entire galette to glaze it.
Enjoy your galette warm or cold according to your taste.
French Galette des Rois Recipe ( King Cake)
Ingredients :
- For a galette of 24/26 cm (9.4/10.2 inches)
- A puff pastry that you can prepare the day before classic puff pastry recipe , a quick or inverted puff pastry (link in post)
Almond Cream filling
- 100 g soft butter (3.5 oz)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or extract.
- 100 g sugar (3.5 oz)
- 100 g almond powder 3.5 oz
- 100 g eggs (3.5 oz) almost 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, rum, or almond extract
Sugar Syrup for glazing
- 50 ml water (1.8 oz)
- 40 g sugar (1.4 oz)
Egg wash
- one egg yolk and a little egg white beaten together
Instructions :
Almond Cream filling
- Work the butter into a pomade, then add the sugar and vanilla. Mix without whisking to cream the mixture.
- Add a small amount of eggs and mix gently, without whisking, to prevent the cream from puffing up during baking.
- Continue by adding a little egg, then a little almond powder, mixing between each addition, until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Put the mixture into a piping bag and let it rest in the refrigerator until use.
Sugar Syrup for glazing
- Bring everything to a boil, then remove from heat as soon as the sugar is completely dissolved. Use the syrup when it is cold, on a hot galette.
Assemble the galette
- Divide the puff pastry into two portions.
- Roll out one piece of puff pastry to a thickness of 3 mm (0.1 in) on a lightly floured surface or between two sheets of parchment paper, then place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to prevent it from shrinking during cutting.
- Then, remove the pastry from the refrigerator, and using a sharp knife or cutter, cut out a disc, using a pastry ring of 24 or 26 cm (9.5 or 10.2 in) as a guide.
- Repeat the process with the second half of the puff pastry.
- Fill the first disc with almond cream, leaving a 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 in) border around the edge.
- Add a fève or a nut, it's optional but in tradition it is considered mandatory. Whoever finds it will be crowned king or queen for the day. The fève is usually ceramic, so be sure to inform your guests that there is one inside. You can also replace it with a nut. Place it in the cream along the edge.
- Moisten the empty edges with a bit of water to help the second disc adhere. You can also brush the edges with egg yolk, ensuring it does not spill over the sides, as this would hinder the puff pastry from rising properly.
- Cover with the second disc, gently smooth the top with your hand to remove any air, and press the edges with your fingers to seal the two discs together.
- Flip the galette onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Note : You can store the galette, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator until the next day, either before or after flipping it.
- Press firmly along the edges to seal the border (the 2 to 3 cm / 0.8 / 1.2 in without cream).
- Using the blunt side of a knife, scallop the edges as shown in the photo. This step is optional.
- Brush the top of the galette with beaten egg (1 yolk and a bit of white) using a pastry brush, then let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or longer. Only brush the top, avoiding the sides, to ensure the puff pastry rises properly.
- Once the first layer of egg wash has set, apply a second layer and then decorate the galette by gently tracing patterns of your choice on the surface using a knife or a toothpick, wiping after each pass.
- Using the blunt side of a knife, trace arcs starting from the center of the galette. You can use a cake board or a plate to help create the arcs neatly.
- Begin with light strokes, and once you’ve finished, go over them a second time (this time without the plate) to make the arcs more distinct. Be careful not to press too hard with the knife; work gently to avoid piercing the pastry.
- After the second pass with the knife to properly trace (the arcs), make sure to go gently to avoid piercing the dough.
Baking the galette
- Very important step for ensuring the puff pastry is cooked through to the center.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When the oven is ready, prick the galette with a wooden skewer at 6 spots, where you traced the arcs.
- Lightly moisten the baking tray, under the parchment paper (this helps the puff pastry rise).
- Place the galette in the oven on the second rack from the bottom and bake for :
- 10 minutes at 200°C (400°F), then20 minutes at 180°C (350°F), followed by20 minutes at 160°C (320°F), and finally30 to 40 minutes at 140°C (280°F).
- The total baking time takes about 1 hour 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. The galette should be golden brown and crisp.
- If the galette browns too much on top, place the drip pan on the top rack.
- As soon as the galette comes out of the oven, brush the cold syrup over the entire galette to glaze it.
- Enjoy your galette warm or cold according to your taste.
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