Galette des Rois — Puff Pastry with Almond Cream

Using a spoon, mix the softened but not melted butter with 100 g of sugar just until combined. Add 120 g of ground almonds, then an egg weighing about 50 g without its shell, and mix thoroughly. Do not whip until fluffy: the cream should be smooth and thick, without excess air. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes while you prepare the pastry. Do not taste the raw filling containing egg.

If the pastry is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator beforehand according to the package instructions. Working with cool pastry, roll two pieces between sheets of parchment paper to about 4 mm thick. Use a sharp knife to cut a bottom circle measuring 24 cm across and a top circle measuring 25 cm; together they should weigh about 400 g after cutting. Buy about 500 g of pastry and reserve the trimmings for another use, outside this recipe. Do not knead them back into the circles, and do not dust with extra flour. Place the bottom circle on parchment on a flat metal baking sheet. Keep the top circle in the refrigerator; if the bottom one has softened, chill it for a few minutes as well.

Spread all the chilled almond cream in an even layer in the middle of the bottom circle, leaving a clean 2 cm border all around. The filling should form a circle about 20 cm across. Smooth it with a spoon, without getting any cream on the border.

Using a finger or pastry brush, very lightly moisten the clean border of the bottom circle with some of the measured cold water; do not leave puddles. Cover with the larger circle, easing it over the filling without stretching. Gently push any air above the filling toward the edge, then press the entire border firmly with your fingers to seal. Do not press the outer cut edge down with a fork, so the layers can rise. Leave any excess water out of the cake.

Refrigerate the assembled galette on its baking sheet for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C using conventional top and bottom heat. Beat the second egg and separately weigh out only 15 g for brushing; the rest is not part of the recipe. Brush the chilled top with the measured egg in two thin passes, without flooding the surface and without letting egg run down the vertical cut edges. Do not pour the bowl's leftovers into the pastry; traces on the brush may also remain outside the cake.

With the tip of a sharp knife, draw delicate curved lines on top, running from the center toward the edge. Score only the surface, without cutting through to the filling. Then make one small hole in the center and four small punctures between the curves, this time through the top layer, to let steam escape. Do not press on the filling, and do not pierce the bottom pastry circle.

Bake on a lower-middle oven rack for 15 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and bake for about 30–35 minutes more. Do not open the oven during the first 25 minutes. The top and sides should be a deep golden color, the layers risen, and the base dry and browned; toward the end, carefully lift an edge with a wide spatula to inspect it. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil and finish baking. A pale, soft base needs a few more minutes on a lower rack.

After baking, leave on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Carefully slide onto a wire rack, supporting it with a wide spatula, and cool for another 20 minutes. Cut into eight portions with a serrated knife and serve slightly warm. Once the leftovers have cooled, refrigerate in a closed container for no more than 2 days; before serving, reheat for about 8–10 minutes at 160°C.