Galette des Rois, King’s Cake Recipe

By Sophie Gayot

La Galette des Rois is a French tradition

La Galette des Rois, King’s Cake, celebrates the Epiphany, happening on January 6th. As the French are gourmands, you now find galette des rois for almost three weeks in bakeries and grocery stores all over France.

Here is how it works. Hidden in la galette is a fève, a small trinket. (The French word translates to fava bean, which is what was originally hidden in the dessert.) The youngest child goes under the table, and calls by name who gets the serving being pointed out by someone at the table to ensure that the part is attributed with no knowledge of where the fève might be. Whoever gets the fève is the queen or the king and gets a crown for her or himself and a second one for her king or his queen to be crowned among the guests around the table. Vive le Roi! Vive la Reine!

One of the versions of la galette des rois is puff pastry layers filled with an almond cream inside (frangipane) — some don’t have cream.

Here is a simple recipe to make it at home.

INGREDIENTS

For la galette
– 2 puff pastry doughs
– 4.40 oz. (125 gr.) granulated sugar
– 2.15 oz. (60 gr.) butter, room temperature
– 3 eggs
– 5.30 oz. (150 gr.) almond powder
– 1 vanilla bean
– 1 fève

For the glazing
– 1 egg yolk
– 1 teaspoon milk

METHOD

• In a bowl, add the butter (room temperature) and the sugar. Mix.
• Cut open the vanilla bean. Scrape the inside in the bowl.
• Add the almond powder. Mix.
• Add the 3 eggs. Mix.
• Lay one dough sheet on parchment paper, on the pan that will go in the oven.
• Spread the mix, but not all the way to the border.
• Add the fève anywhere (avoid the middle).
• With a brush, put some water all around where there is no mix. It will help sealing the galette.
• Put the second dough on top.
• Seal the doughs together.
• With a brush, spread an egg yolk for shine on the top dough.
• With a knife, you can make any desire design on the dough.
• Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees F.

Follow the step-by-step instructions with the video below.