Galette des Rois (French King Cake)

If you’ve ever been to France in January, you might have heard about (or tasted) the famous Galette des Rois! This golden, flaky cake is everywhere in our French bakeries at the beginning of the year. It is my favorite post-holiday treat. Here, I am sharing my traditional recipe so you can bake this French classic at home.

What is the Galette des Rois?

The Galette des Rois (or “King Cake”) is easily one of my favorite French traditions! For my American readers: while you might be familiar with the colorful, bready King Cakes of New Orleans, the French version is completely different. It’s a simple cake made of puff pastry and frangipane.

What makes it so special to me is the little surprise fève that we hide inside the cake. Whoever finds it in their slice becomes the King or Queen for the day and receives a paper crown to wear with pride!

A fun little tradition: To keep things fun and fair, the youngest person in the room hides under the table and calls out the names to assign each slice. Since I’m the youngest in my family, this was always my job! Here’s a longer article explaining more about this tradition.

The Ingredients: What Makes a Perfect Galette?

As explained above, a Galette des Rois is simply two discs of puff pastry filled with frangipane.

There’s an important point to note: many people confuse frangipane with almond cream! The “real” frangipane used in the traditional recipe is actually a blend of almond cream AND pastry cream (crème pâtissière). Here is a list of everything will need to make this French King Cake:

• Puff pastry: You’ll need two circles of puff pastry, about 10 inches (24-26 cm) each. If you have the time, I recommend homemade puff pastry! You can make it ahead of time and freeze it (check out all my tips in this article).
• Almond cream: This is preparation made with equal parts butter, sugar and almond flour. I explained the full process in my almond cream recipe but you can find it in the recipe card too.
• Pastry cream: This is what adds lightness and a “moist” touch to the almond cream. You’ll see, it’s incredibly easy to make with just a bit of milk, cornstarch, an egg yolk, and sugar.
• Flavors: This is where you can get creative! In general we add a little orange blossom water, vanilla extract, rum or a drop of bitter almond.
• The Fève (The prize): Traditionally, we used a uncooked bean, nowadays there are little porcelaine figurines. If you don’t have one, don’t worry! Use a dried fava bean or a whole almond instead.

You’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card.

What to serve it with? In France, we like to serve the Galette de Rois with a glass of apple cider (cidre brut) for the adults and a high-quality sparkling apple juice for the children.

My Secrets for a Stunning, Golden-Brown Galette!

Before you jump in, take two minutes to read my tips below. They show you how to avoid the frangipane from leaking out and help you get a beautiful golden Galette des Rois.

1. How to Assemble Your Galette

To keep that delicious frangipane filling where it belongs, you need a good seal. Here’s how to do it:

• The safety margin: When spreading your cream, leave a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border of bare dough all the way around.
• The “glue”: Use a pastry brush to lightly moisten that border with a little water. Be careful not to add too much; you want it damp, not soaking wet!
• The gentle seal: Place your second disc of pastry on top. Important: Do not pinch or crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork! This will “lock” the layers of the puff pastry and prevent them from rising. Instead, simply press down firmly with the flat of your hand.
• The “chiquetage”: To give it that professional look and a final seal, use the back of a knife to make small, rhythmic indentations along the edge. This technique is called chiquetage, and it’s both beautiful and functional!

2. Glazing and Decoration

This is the step that will make your Galette looks stunning!

• The double glaze: This is the secret I discovered recently. Brush on a first layer of egg yolk, let the galette rest in the fridge for 15 minutes, then apply a second coat.
• The design: Use the tip of a knife, but use the back (blunt) side! You want to score the pastry, not cut through it. You can draw:
  • Classic wheat stalks (the most traditional look)
  • Diamonds or elegant spirals
• The “cheminée” (The chimney): Use the very tip of your knife to poke 3 or 4 tiny, discreet holes within your design. This acts as a vent, letting the steam escape so your pastry stays smooth and doesn’t crack or burst in the oven!

My Tip: For beautiful rise, put the finished Galette in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. The temperature shock is the secret weapon that helps the butter layers puff up perfectly.

I’ve prepared 3 design ideas for your Galette des Rois. I recommend practicing once on a sheet of paper before doing it on the galette.

Recipe Card

Galette des Rois (French King Cake)

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4.9 of 12 votes

This is one of my favorite culinary French traditions: the Galette des Rois or French King Cake! Not only is it a very jovial tradition and a good reason to gather with family or friends, but it's an absolutely delicious cake!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Cake

Cuisine French

Servings 8

Calories 475 kcal

Print Recipe

Equipment

• 1 ceramic “fève” (or a whole almond)
• 1 paper crown

Ingredients

  

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For the Galette

• ▢ 2 puff pastry rounds approx. 10 inches / 26 cm, store-bought or homemade

For the Pastry Cream:

• ▢ 1/2 cup whole milk (120 ml)
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk or 1 whole egg
• ▢ 2 tbsp granulated sugar (30 g)
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch (15 g)
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean

For the Frangipane:

• ▢ 7 tbsp unsalted butter (100 g), softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• ▢ 2 eggs large
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups almond flour (125 g)
• ▢ 1 tsp flavoring rum, orange blossom water, or vanilla extract

For the Egg Wash:

• ▢ 1 egg yolk
• ▢ 1 tsp milk

Instructions

 

Prepare the Pastry Cream

• Heat the milk and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  
• While that warms up, whisk the egg yolk and sugar together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Stir in the cornstarch.
  
• Slowly pour a ladle of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it (this prevents the eggs from scrambling!), then pour everything back into the saucepan.
  
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens (about 5 minutes). Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the cream and let it cool completely.

Make the Frangipane

• In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
  
• Fold in the almond flour and your flavoring of choice.
  
• Finally, fold in the cooled pastry cream until the mixture is silky and combined.
  

Assembly & Decoration

• Place your first puff pastry disc on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the frangipane in the center, leaving a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border. Don’t forget to press your fève into the cream!
  
• Lightly brush the border with water. Place the second pastry disc on top and press down gently with the flat of your hand to seal. Use the back of a knife to scallop the edges (chiqueter).
  
• Mix the egg yolk with a splash of milk and brush the top of the galette. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, then apply a second coat for that extra-golden glow.
  
• Using the tip of a knife, score your designs (wheat stalks or spirals) and poke 3–4 tiny holes to let steam escape.
  

Baking

• Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 to 35 minutes until the galette is beautifully golden and crispy. Let it cool to lukewarm before slicing.
  

Notes

The Reheat: For the best result, let the galette cool completely first, then pop it back into the oven at 320°F (160°C) for 10 minutes just before serving. This makes the pastry extra crunchy and the filling melt-in-your-mouth soft!

Freezing:

• Raw: Assemble the galette (skip the egg wash), freeze it flat, and bake it straight from the freezer on the big day. Just add 5–10 minutes to the baking time.
• Baked: Let it cool, wrap it well, and freeze. Reheat at 320°F (160°C) to give it its “pep” back!

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 208mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 353IU | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Tag @la.cuisine.de.geraldine on Instagram and let me know how it was!

Mix It Up: Delicious Galette Variations

If you liked this recipe and want to put a twist on the classic version, here are my favorite ways to customize your Galette des Rois:

• Hazelnut or Pistachio: Swap all or part of the almond flour for ground hazelnuts or pistachios. It’s delicious too (you can add some chocolate chips too!)
• Orange & Cinnamon: For a cozy, wintery touch, add freshly grated orange zest or a pinch of cinnamon directly into your frangipane.
• The Apple Twist: If you want something a bit lighter and fruitier, replace the pastry cream with 2/3 cup (150g) of apple sauce (homemade is best!).

Craving More French Pastry Classics?

• Homemade croissants
• Croissants aux amandes
• Amandier, un gâteau moelleux à l’amande
• Financiers (French Almond Mini Cakes)
• Madeleines
• Flan Parisien

Frequently Asked Questions