Galette des Rois

Served traditionally in France on twelfth night, Galette des Rois, or King Cake, is a delicious buttery pastry filled with sweet almonds. Whoever finds the fève—lucky charm—is crowned king or queen for the day. To rule out the choking risk of adding special charms to the cake, our editor opts for adding one beautifully plump prune to the filling.

You will need:

400g ready-made puff pastry

100g salted butter, softened

100g golden caster sugar

1 free-range egg, lightly beaten plus extra for glazing pastry

100g ground almonds

2 tbsp brandy, amaretto, or rum

Zest of a fresh lemon (optional)

 

How to:

1 Preheat oven to 350°C/180°C fan/Gas mark 6.

2 Divide the puff pastry in half, roll out each piece, and cut into a 10-inch (25-cm) round (you can trace around a plate).

3 Place one round of puff pastry on a baking sheet and spread with the apricot jam,

leaving a ¾-inch (2-cm) border clear around the edge.

4 Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in

the egg. Stir in the ground almonds, your chosen alcohol, and zest if adding.

5 Spoon the mixture over the jam, spreading evenly, and place your French fève (if using), but make sure your guests know it is in the cake as it is a choking hazard or add a whole soft prune instead. Brush pastry edges with water, then cover with the second piece, pressing the edges to seal.

6 Mark the top of the pastry from the center to the edges like the spokes of a wheel or in

a zigzag pattern, then brush with beaten egg for a lovely golden crisp pastry.

7 Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until crisp and golden. Serve warm or cold with a crown on top for whoever finds the prune inside.

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