Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

This Galette des Rois (King Cake) recipe has a homemade almond crème filling and pre-made puff pastry. It has a crisp, glazed top and a hidden fève in the filling. This "King Cake" is traditionally in France served for epiphany. (12 servings, recipe tutorial video included)

Galette des Rois (King Cake)

Hi Everyone, we love this easy Galette des Rois (King Cake) recipe!

First off, I want to let you know that this is a non-standard Galette des Rois (King Cake) recipe, it uses store-bought puff pastry, not homemade. It looks and is different from the one you may get from a bakery, which may be taller or have a different edge or filling than this recipe.

I included a step-by-step recipe tutorial video in addition to the recipe card at the end of the post to make this recipe easy to follow.

What makes this Galette des Rois (King Cake) recipe different?

This version is more crisp and thin than other versions of the recipe, almost like a cookie.

It has only 6 ingredients in the almond filling which can easily be made in the food processor and there are only 15 minutes of baking time.

I have suggestions if you want to make it thicker with more filling and a loftier pastry top in the recipe notes.

What is Galette des Rois (King Cake)?

According to Wikipedia, Galette Des Rois (King Cake) is:

A king cake, also known as a three king's cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases, a fève such as a figurine often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside. After the cake is cut, whoever gets the fève wins a prize.

This type of King cake is different from the American version served during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, United States.

Our Family Tradition

Every year, since my husband and I were married, we celebrate Epiphany with my father-in-law, Michel, it's a tradition that he grew up in France, and it's become a tradition that we celebrate with our 3 kids now.

For years, we have had Galette des Rois from local bakeries, and this year, I want to make my own.

I've always wanted to make this recipe since it's a recipe close to our family.

I was amazed at how easy it is to make with your food processor to make the filling and use store-bought puff pastry!

Someday, if I have a puff pastry recipe, I will put it on the blog but for now, store-bought puff pastry works well.

This recipe requires pure vanilla extract and I do have a Homemade Vanilla Extract recipe post if you want to check that out.

Ingredients

I include affiliate links in the recipe card.

Almond Cream (filling)

• ½ cup almond flour (almond meal)
• ¼ cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• ¾ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Cake

• 17 ounces frozen, store-bought, puff pastry, thawed
• 1 large egg, beaten, for the egg wash on top
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Fèves for Galette des Rois (King Cake)

A ceramic fève (or dried bean) is hidden in the filling.

If you are lucky enough to find it, you are awarded a gold-colored paper crown (also called a "diadem").

People often save their fèves over the years and I certainly have.

I include photos of my personal collection in this post of fèves from over the years.

There are also vintage fèves that I have sought out to add to my collection.

These fèves are about 1 inch tall.

The above fèves that I bought to use in these photos are newer and here custom-made by a ceramic artist in New Orleans.

You can also use a dried bean, like a fava bean in place of a ceramic fève.

If you are worried about someone choking on the fève, then you can also just place it, symbolically, on the outside of the cake (like the crown fève in the photo).

Kitchen Tools

Here is a list of helpful kitchen tools:

• food processor
• 2-cup wet measure
• measuring spoons and cups
• pastry mat or pastry marble
• ruler
• offset spatula
• stiff baking spatula
• flexible baking spatula
• French rolling pin
• pastry brush
• silicone baking mat or parchment paper
• rimmed baking sheet
• round, cardboard cake base
• cake stand
• Chef's knife for cutting
• airtight cake container, for storage

Recipe Attribution

This recipe is inspired by the many Galette des Rois from local bakeries over the years, and also, Traditional French Galette des Rois from The Spruce Eats.

Latest Posts

• Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
• Sand Tart Cookie Recipe
• Slow Cooker Crock-Pot Butter Corn
• Homemade Coffee Creamer
• Maple Cinnamon Butter

If you make this recipe and like it please give it a rating on the recipe card and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

Thank you for reading and following along!

Check out our Recipe & DIY indexes, visit our Home page to view our latest posts & categories, visit our Blog page to see our posts in consecutive order and, our Shop to see our favorite kitchen tools!

• First published: 3/27/2021
• Updated & republished: 1/8/2023