Susan Jung's Epiphany recipe for Galette des rois

Galette des rois is traditionally eaten in France around the Epiphany on January 6; during the rest of the year, you'd be more likely to eat a pastry known as a Pithivier. The main difference is the galette des rois contains a feve - originally a bean but now more often a small glass or ceramic trinket. Whoever finds the feve in their slice of galette is 'crowned king' (or queen) for the day.

It's one of my favourite pastries because it's flaky and rich but not too sweet. I also love its austere beauty, which is completely dependent on the skill of the maker: there's nothing to cover any imperfections; if the galette rises unevenly or the pastry shrinks into an oval, you can't hide it by trimming it into shape and then adding a layer of icing, as with a cake.

Don't even think of making this with commercial puff pastry sheets containing shortening. This galette recipe is based on the one in the Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum.

Puff pastry

The tip of having the butter layer at 15 degrees Celsius comes from Bernard Clayton Jr, who observed that if it's too cold, the butter won't roll evenly; if it's too warm, it will melt into the dough rather than remaining a distinct layer. It's important to follow the resting times.

500 grams good-quality unsalted French butter, chilled, divided