Raymond Blanc's “king cake” is a timeless classic for Epiphany: with its puff pastry shell and velvety almond cream, the Galette de Rois will win everyone over.

For the puff pastry:

400 g full-fat butter puff pastry
1 egg yolk (organic or free-range) beaten for glazing

For the almond cream:

75 g unsalted butter at room temperature
75 g sugar for the glaze
75 g ground almonds
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon dark rum or cognac

For the glaze

1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon cooking cream

Roll out the dough circles: lightly flour the work surface, then use a rolling pin to roll out the puff pastry into two sheets measuring 35 cm x 22.5 cm; Cut a 20 cm circle for the base from one sheet and a 22 cm circle for the top from the other sheet; refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough and prevent it from shrinking during baking.

For the almond cream

In a large bowl, beat all the ingredients together until smooth; refrigerate.

Preparation of the Galette

Place one disc of dough on a baking sheet. Pour the almond cream into the center, then use a spatula to spread the cream in an even circle, leaving a 2 cm border. Brush the 2 cm border with the egg yolk glaze and carefully place the other disc of dough on top. Press gently on the edge to seal the dough. With the back of a knife, score the outer edge of the dough all around. This will completely seal the two discs of dough and make the presentation more appealing.

Chill or freeze the galette for 1 hour to firm up the dough. With a sharp knife, cut the edge of the galette in a uniform circle so that it rises evenly.

Cutting the galette and brushing with egg:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the galette with the egg yolk glaze. Using the side of a fork or the back of a knife, start from the center of the galette and cut a spiral to the edge of the pastry. Repeat to create an attractive pattern.