King cake with hazelnut frangipane
King cake with hazelnut frangipane is a medium French recipe that serves 6. 450 calories per serving. Recipe by Les Ateliers de Ludo on YouTube.
Prep: 3 hrs 22 min | Cook: 45 min | Total: 4 hrs 27 min
Cost: $12.47 total, $2.08 per serving
Ingredients
- 250 g T45 flour (Sift before use)
- 125 ml Cold water (Very cold to keep the dough firm)
- 5 g Fine salt (Preferably sea salt)
- 150 g Puff pastry butter (Very cold butter, flattened into a rectangular sheet)
- 500 ml Whole milk (Bring to a boil)
- 2 Egg yolk (At room temperature)
- 80 g Granulated sugar
- 30 g Cornstarch (Maizena) (Can be replaced by flour in the same amount)
- 1 Vanilla bean (Optional, split and scrape the seeds)
- 100 g Softened butter (At room temperature, well creamy)
- 100 g Hazelnut paste (purée) (Available at health food store or online)
- 80 g Granulated sugar (for the frangipane)
- 1 Whole egg (At room temperature)
- 30 g Raw hazelnut powder (With skin for more flavor, can be toasted 8‑10 min at 140°C)
- 30 g Toasted chopped hazelnuts (For crunch)
- 1 Egg yolk (glaze) (For glazing)
- 2 g Whole liquid cream (About 2 ml, to mix with the egg yolk)
- 1 Porcelain fève (Optional, place away from the center of the frangipane)
Instructions
Prepare the puff pastry dough base
In a bowl, mix the flour, salt and cold water until a homogeneous dough forms. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic film and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 min.
Time: PT15M
Prepare the puff pastry butter
Roll the cold butter between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle about 30 × 15 cm. Keep chilled.
Time: PT10M
First simple turn (semi‑quick puff pastry)
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a strip 50 cm × 15 cm. Place the butter in the center, fold the dough into thirds (like a wallet). Turn a quarter turn to the right and roll again into a long strip.
Time: PT10M
Two double turns
Perform the same process twice: fold the dough into four (bottom‑center‑top‑center), then turn a quarter turn and roll out. After the second double turn, the puff pastry is ready.
Time: PT15M
Cold rest
Wrap the puff pastry in plastic film and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 min before rolling out.
Time: PT30M
Prepare the pastry cream
Bring the whole milk to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch in a bowl. Pour the hot milk over the mixture while whisking, then return everything to the saucepan.
Time: PT10M
Temperature: 90°C
Cook the pastry cream
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 5 min). Remove from heat, add vanilla seeds if desired.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: 90°C
Cool the pastry cream
Pour the cream into a dish covered with plastic film (contact), smooth the surface and let cool at room temperature for 45 min, then place in the refrigerator for 30 min.
Time: PT75M
Prepare the hazelnut cream (frangipane)
In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar until smooth. Add the hazelnut paste, the whole egg, then the hazelnut powder. Mix until homogeneous, fold in the chopped hazelnuts.
Time: PT10M
Combine the two creams
Fold the cooled pastry cream into the hazelnut cream using a spatula or a low‑speed mixer until a homogeneous frangipane forms.
Time: PT5M
Roll out the two puff pastry discs
Divide the dough into two equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece to 2 mm thickness (about 30 cm diameter). Fold each disc onto itself and refrigerate for 20 min.
Time: PT30M
Assemble the galette
Place the first rolled sheet on parchment paper, mark the center with a 20 cm circle. Spread the frangipane in the center staying inside the circle. Place the fève away from the center. Brush the edges with a little cold water, cover with the second sheet, seal the edges by gently pressing. Trace a 24 cm circle around the galette and cut away the excess with a sharp knife.
Time: PT10M
Prepare the glaze
Mix the egg yolk with 2 g of whole liquid cream. Brush the surface of the galette from the center outward with a brush, avoiding the edges so as not to hinder the puff pastry.
Time: PT2M
Bake the galette
Preheat the oven to 230 °C, then, as soon as the galette is placed in the oven, immediately lower the temperature to 190 °C. Bake for 40 min with fan‑assisted heat until the puff pastry is well golden and risen.
Time: PT40M
Temperature: 190°C
Cooling and final decoration
Let the galette cool at room temperature for 30 min, then sprinkle with toasted hazelnut pieces for crunch. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Time: PT30M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 450
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 45 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Dietary info: Vegetarian, Contains nuts, Contains gluten
Allergens: Gluten, Milk, Eggs, Hazelnuts
Last updated: March 12, 2026






