Galette des Rois (Puff Pastry Tart With Almond Cream)

In France, Galette des Rois is traditionally baked for the Epiphany (the day the three kings visited the baby Jesus). The Feast of the Epiphany falls on January 6 (12 days after Christmas), but this celebratory galette can be found at Paris patisseries throughout the month of January. It often comes with a golden paper crown, and whoever finds the fève hidden in their slice—a small figurine or trinket or, in this case, a dried bean—is crowned king or queen for the day. As such, it’s often called “king cake,” but don’t get it confused with New Orleans’ colorful yeasted cake by the same name. This sophisticated tart is made with two layers of puff pastry, sandwiching frangipane (a custardy almond filling).

This tart may look fancy, but with a box of frozen puff pastry, it’s absolutely achievable for even the most novice bakers. Most frangipane recipes rely on ground almonds or other nuts, but this one uses store-bought almond paste, butter, sugar, eggs, and all-purpose flour. Simply pulse all the ingredients in the food processor to make a nutty, buttery paste (like the one tucked into your favorite almond croissant) to fill your elegant tart. Vanilla and almond extracts heighten the flavor of the filling; for citrusy undertones add lemon or orange zest.

Overachievers can make puff pastry from scratch, but recipes that rely on ready-made puff pastry are ideal for low-effort entertaining—after a gloss of egg wash, you’ll hardly be able to tell the difference. For the galette des rois’ signature design, use a sharp knife to score the top of the pastry with a spiral or chevron pattern. Just be sure not to pierce through the center of the pastry, which may cause the filling to leak.