Galette de Rois

French-born pastry chef Patrice Yvon and his wife Lorna own and operate L’Anjou Pâtisserie Française in Mount Kisco. Growing up in France, Yvon has fond memories of Galette de Rois (King Cake), which is served during Epiphany (January 6). 

The cake is topped with a golden crown and has a porcelain figurine called a fève baked into it (so indulge carefully). The lucky person who gets the fève wears the crown and becomes the king. Every year, Yvon’s mother would buy this elaborate cake from their local patisserie. 

“My brothers and I waited with much excitement, hoping to discover the crown in the cake.”  

Madame Yvon still participates in this tradition, even though she’s in France and her son is now here in the U.S., by sending the crowns to L’Anjou Pâtisserie. 

Note: This is a cake best attempted by an experienced baker, as it’s very delicate and has many steps. For those who prefer to leave it to the pros, you can special order a Galette des Rois from the bakery.

Galette des Rois 

Ingredients

One box of puff pastry, chilled 

1/2 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cp plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 large egg

For egg wash:

2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk                                   

1 Tbsp. whole milk    

For glaze:

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 Tbsp. water

Directions

Preparing the Almond Cream

Place the almond flour, all-purpose flour and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix together then slowly add the butter a little at a time until incorporated. Beat the flour, sugar, and butter at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix for three minutes at medium speed. Batter will be lighter in color. Refrigerate the almond cream overnight in an airtight container. 

When ready to prepare the galette, let the almond cream come to room temperature, then beat it gently with an electric mixer (or by hand) to return it to its initial volume and light color.

Preparing the Galette des Rois

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Roll out each half 1/8 inch thick. Cut out one circle from each half, one measuring 8 1/2 inches diameter and the other 8 inches diameter. Place the eight-inch circle on a tray covered with parchment paper. 

Fill a pastry bag (large opening, no tip inserted) with the almond cream, and pipe a five-inch mound of cream in the center of the eight-inch pastry circle. Prepare the egg wash by whisking the ingredients in a small glass bowl. Lightly brush a one-inch rim around the edge of the pastry circle with egg wash.

Place the second larger pastry circle over the first. Seal the edges by pressing the top edge into the bottom edge. This keeps the almond cream from running out as it bakes. 

Cover the galette with plastic film and let it rest in the refrigerator for one hour.

Preheat the oven at 350°Fahrenheit. Unwrap the galette and brush the top with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the top (do not cut through the pastry, just score it) from the center of the galette to the edge to create a flower design. A cross hatch design is also popular. 

Bake the galette for 20 minutes, then remove it from the oven and brush it with the glaze. Return the galette to the oven and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

*A small toy charm (fève) may be discreetly placed in the galette after it is baked so someone can discover it in their slice.  Don’t forget to top the finished galette with a gold paper crown (a fun project to make while the galette bakes) before serving.

This article was published in the November/December 2023 print edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.