‘Tis the Season for Galette des Rois

Do you know about this delicious cake? It’s called a Galette des Rois or King Cake, and it has been a French tradition since the 13th century – when the Church began to associate it with the Feast of the Epiphany.

The cake originally dates back to the first century before Christ, during the period of Roman antiquity when pagans celebrated the winter solstice. During the celebration, martyrs and slaves shared a cake with a fève or charm placed inside.

The word “epiphany” is of Greek origin and means “apparition.” The celebration corresponds to the day when the three Kings, guided by the light of a star, reached the stable where Jesus was born. To celebrate his birth and as a sign of respect, the Kings offered gifts of gold, myrrh (resin from a tree in Arabia, the balsamer), and incense to Jesus. The Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated January 6, marking the twelfth day of Christmas.

The Tradition

In France, Galette des Rois is served on January 6th or the first Sunday in January, depending on when your family gathers to celebrate the epiphany. The cake divided into as many portions as guests, plus an extra piece. This additional portion, called the “part of the Good God” or “part of the Virgin” is given to the first poor man who passed by. Usually, the youngest person at the celebration decides on the distribution of each piece. The person who finds the charm inside their piece of cake is crowned king or queen for the day.

The Fève

The type of charm has evolved over the years. At the end of the eighteenth century, porcelain beans appeared, representing the child Jesus. During the French Revolution, the baby Jesus was replaced by a Phrygian or Liberty cap. Bean seeds have been systematically replaced since 1870 (the year of the Paris Commune) by porcelain figurines, then more recently, plastic figurines. Today, there are a multitude of fancy beans that delight collectors, who are known as fabophiles.

Fun Fact

Each year, the Élysée Palace welcomes a Galette de Rois without a charm because appointing and celebrating a king does not agree with the idea of the Republic.

The Recipe

Galette des Rois are much easier to make that you might have imagined. I am thrilled to partner with La Cuisine Paris in sharing a recipe with you.

Two store bought puff pastry or make them yourself – my recipe is here. You’ll need one for the bottom and one for the top of the Galette.

Almond Cream

110 g Sugar

110 g butter

2 eggs (100g)

110 g ground almonds

20 g flour

Pastry Cream

250 g milk

1 egg

25 g cornstarch

60 g sugar

1 Vanilla bean

Instructions for fillings :

Prepare Almond Cream : Combine butter and sugar in mixing bowl and mix till creamy.  Add eggs one at a time and mix until completely combined.  Add the ground almonds and flour and mix well.

Prepare Pastry Cream : Bring the milk to the boil with the vanilla. Beat the egg with the sugar until the mixture is pale and thick, and stir in the starch. Pour some of the milk into that mixture, stir, then pour back into the saucepan. Heat gently, and stir continuously until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from the heat and transfer into a large bowl. Set aside to cool.

When Pastry cream is cool, mix together almond cream and pastry cream.

Assembly :

This is where your creative juices can flow! You will need a very sharp knife / razor blade

Cut two circles (large or small depending on what you prefer). Place one circle on a baking sheet and pipe the Frangipane garnish onto the dough (we use a pastry bag and usually pipe in a winding circle form), leaving ½ inch border on the outside. Push a trinket into the cream. Brush the border with egg wash.  Top with the other circle and press down firmly on the edges to seal.  Turn upside down to hide possible finger marks. With the tip of a knife, make a hole on top of the Galette.

Brush the entire top with egg wash. Leave to rest in the fridge for 30mn. Brush with eggwash again, then use a small sharp knife /razor  to make decorative cuts. Bake at 190°C for 30 to 40 mins (depending on size) or till golden brown and puffy. Brush with sugar syrup immediately after taking out of the oven.  

Prepare to enjoy! Don’t forget to have a crown ready for you if you are making individuals, or for whomever finds the charm!