King Cake with Apples and Speculoos

Ingredients

• 2 feuilles Ready‑made puff pastry (Sheets of 250 g each, kept chilled)
• 100 g Almond butter (or almond paste) (At room temperature to ease mixing)
• 80 g Powdered sugar (Sift to avoid lumps)
• 50 g Speculoos (Coarsely crushed (optional))
• 2 unités Apples (Golden or Pink Lady apples, peeled and thinly sliced)
• 1 unité Egg (For glazing (egg + crème fraîche))
• 1 c. à soupe Thick crème fraîche (Mixed with the egg for glazing)
• 1 c. à café Vanilla extract (Optional, to flavor the almond cream)
• ½ c. à café Ground cinnamon (Optional, to enhance flavor)

Instructions

1. Prepare the puff pastry

   Remove the two sheets of puff pastry from the refrigerator 30 min beforehand, place them on a lightly floured work surface, roll to 3‑5 mm thickness and cut two discs: one 24 cm and one 26 cm. Keep the discs chilled until assembly.

   Time: PT10M

2. Prepare the almond cream

   In a bowl, mix the almond butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and cinnamon until a smooth, homogeneous paste forms.

   Time: PT5M

3. Crush the speculoos

   Break the speculoos into coarse pieces using a rolling pin or a pulse blender.

   Time: PT2M

4. Incorporate the speculoos into the cream

   Add the speculoos crumbs to the almond cream and stir quickly to distribute the pieces.

   Time: PT2M

5. Slice the apples

   Peel the apples, cut into thin slices (about 2 mm thick) and set aside on a plate.

   Time: PT5M

6. Assemble the galette – first layer

   Place the 24 cm disc on parchment paper, lightly brush the edge with a little beaten egg, spread the almond cream leaving a 1.5‑2 cm border, arrange the apple slices in a rose pattern and sprinkle the remaining speculoos crumbs.

   Time: PT10M

7. Assemble the galette – second layer

   Lay the 26 cm disc over the filling, lightly moisten the edges with beaten egg and seal by pressing firmly with fingers or a fork to enclose the cream inside.

   Time: PT3M

8. First glaze and chill

   Mix the egg with the tablespoon of crème fraîche, brush the surface of the galette, draw the traditional patterns with the tip of a knife, then place the galette in the refrigerator 10 min so the glaze sets.

   Time: PT10M

9. Second glaze and chill

   Remove the galette, brush again with the same egg‑cream mixture, redraw the patterns if desired, then refrigerate 10 min before baking.

   Time: PT10M

10. Initial high‑temperature bake

    Preheat the fan oven to 190°C. Bake the galette for 5 minutes to give the layers a good lift.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 190°C

11. Final bake at moderate temperature

    Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C and continue baking for 35 minutes until the galette is nicely golden and the puff pastry is well risen.

    Time: PT35M

    Temperature: 170°C

12. Rest before serving

    Take the galette out of the oven, let it warm for 15 minutes on a rack before cutting.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

18 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Ready‑made puff pastry: Homemade puff pastry
• Instead of Almond butter (or almond paste): Almond paste
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Granulated sugar
• Instead of Speculoos: Cinnamon rusks, Gingerbread
• Instead of Apples: Pears
• Instead of Egg: Egg white
• Instead of Thick crème fraîche: Plain yogurt
• Instead of Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean
• Instead of Ground cinnamon: Nutmeg

Equipment Needed

• Work surface
• Rolling pin
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry bag
• Kitchen brush
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven (fan/convection)
• Kitchen scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Roll the puff pastry to the correct thickness (3‑5 mm) to achieve an airy flaky texture
• Seal the galette edges carefully to prevent the cream from escaping during baking
• Observe the two baking phases (190°C then 170°C) to obtain a golden colour without burning the top

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use slightly tart apples (Golden) to balance the sweetness of the almond cream
• Add a pinch of fleur de sel on the filling to enhance flavors
• For a more elegant pattern, trace the designs with the back of a fork before glazing

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator

Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month

Room temperature: Consume the same day, otherwise keep refrigerated

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the almond cream the day before and keep it chilled
• The cut pastry discs can be frozen separately and thawed before assembly