King cake with chocolate and pears

Ingredients

• 2 sheets Puff pastry (ready-to-use, kept refrigerated)
• 100 g Butter (at room temperature, softened)
• 80 g Fine sugar
• 100 g Almond powder (blanched, ground almonds)
• 150 g Dark chocolate (70% cocoa) (melted)
• 2 units Pears (fresh or canned, diced)
• 1 Egg (beaten, for glazing)
• 1 tablespoon Milk (for glazing)
• 1 packet Vanilla sugar (optional, for glazing)
• a few drops Water (to glue the two pastry sheets)

Instructions

1. Prepare the pastry discs

   Roll out each puff pastry sheet to about 4 mm thickness. Cut two circles of 25 cm diameter (one slightly larger than the other). Keep the smaller disc refrigerated.

   Time: PT10M

2. Cut the pears

   Peel (if fresh) and cut the pears into small dice or thin slices according to your preference.

   Time: PT5M

3. Make the chocolate almond cream

   In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the fine sugar using a whisk. Stir in the almond powder, then add the melted dark chocolate. Mix until a homogeneous paste forms.

   Time: PT10M

4. Combine pears with the cream

   Gently fold the diced pears into the chocolate‑almond cream. Set aside.

   Time: PT3M

5. Assemble the galette

   Place the smaller disc on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the cream leaving a 1.5 cm border. Arrange the pears on the cream. Lightly brush the edges with a little water. Cover with the second disc, align the edges and press firmly. Seal the edges with the back of a fork.

   Time: PT7M

6. Glaze

   Mix the beaten egg, milk and vanilla sugar. Brush the surface of the galette with this mixture using a pastry brush.

   Time: PT2M

7. Baking

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bake the galette for 30 minutes until well golden and flaky.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 200°C

8. Rest and serve

   Remove the galette from the oven, let it cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

   Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

20 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Puff pastry: shortcrust pastry
• Instead of Butter: margarine
• Instead of Fine sugar: powdered sugar
• Instead of Almond powder: almond flour
• Instead of Dark chocolate (70% cocoa): milk chocolate
• Instead of Pears: apples
• Instead of Egg: milk for glazing
• Instead of Milk: water
• Instead of Vanilla sugar: vanilla extract

Equipment Needed

• Rolling pin
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or electric mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Pastry brush
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Piping bag (optional) (optional)
• Fork (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the pastry discs (roll out and keep refrigerated)
• Make the chocolate almond cream (achieve a homogeneous texture)
• Assemble the galette (properly seal the edges)
• Baking (exact temperature and time)

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality butter (80% fat) for optimal flakiness.
• Melt chocolate to 45‑50 °C to avoid overheating.
• Lightly dust with powdered sugar after baking for an elegant finish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the unbaked galette, well wrapped, up to 2 days.

Freezer: After baking, let cool completely, then tightly wrap and freeze for 1 month.

Room temperature: Once baked, the galette keeps 1 day at room temperature, protected from humidity.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the chocolate‑almond cream the day before and keep refrigerated.
• Assemble the galette and keep chilled before baking (max 4 h).
• Unbaked galettes can be frozen before baking.