GALETTE DES ROIS (EPIPHANY)
Celebrate Epiphany the French way by baking a galette des rois! A delicious way to crown a King or Queen for the day…
Galette des Rois: A French Tradition for Epiphany
In France, there is no celebrating Epiphany without a galette des rois. I do not know a single French person who skips this tradition. Every year, without fail, the galette makes its appearance in homes, bakeries, and even at schools. In fact, I remember when the French Lycée would host a massive galette sale for charity, and we would all queue up, eagerly waiting to get our hands on one, or maybe even two!
What is the Galette des Rois?
The galette des rois is a golden, flaky pastry filled with a rich almond cream known as frangipane. It’s traditionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany, a Christian holiday that falls on January 6th, marking the visit of the three kings to baby Jesus. But, you don’t need to be religious to appreciate this delicious treat. In France, it has become a beloved national tradition, and the galette is enjoyed by people of all backgrounds throughout January.
While the idea of making your own galette might seem daunting, let me assure you, it is not as hard as it looks! People often think, much like with éclairs, that making a galette must be complicated. But in reality, much simpler than many other desserts, even easier than preparing a tart sometimes. It is all about assembling the puff pastry and the almond filling, which anyone can do with a bit of patience.
The Fun Tradition Behind It
What makes the galette des rois even more fun is the tradition that comes with it. When you serve the galette, there’s a special ritual to follow, and I’ll walk you through it. Once you have cut the galette into servings, the youngest person in the room hides under the table. Why? Because it’s their job to call out who gets which slice, ensuring that no one knows where the fève, a tiny porcelain charm hidden inside the galette, is hiding.
The lucky person who finds the fève in their slice is crowned the King or Queen for the day! And, of course, they get to wear a golden paper crown that typically comes with the galette. What a lovely custom, especially for children, but adults enjoy it just as much. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen adults secretly hope to find the fève and claim the crown!
A Tradition With Ancient Roots
Believe it or not, the origins of the galette des rois go back much further than you might expect. The tradition likely started with the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia. This was celebrated from late December into early January, and during this time, there was a bit of role reversal. Slaves and masters would switch places temporarily, and a “king for a day” was chosen randomly to preside over the festivities. Sweet foods were shared to honour Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to celebrate the return of longer days.
Doesn’t that sound a bit familiar? Over time, these celebrations evolved, and by the Middle Ages, this idea of picking a king during a winter festival had blended into what would become the galette des rois.
The Galette Takes Shape in Medieval France
The galette des rois that we enjoy today started to take shape around the 13th or 14th century. The first records of people sharing a cake for Epiphany date back to this period. It was a way to celebrate the visit of the three kings to baby Jesus. The French Benedictine monks are believed to have been the first to fill puff pastry with almond frangipane, creating a treat that quickly became associated with the Epiphany celebration.
This is also when the fun part began, the tradition of hiding a little bean, or fève, inside the galette. The person who found the fève in their slice would be crowned king or queen for the day, a tradition that still continues!
Evolution Through History
As with most traditions, the galette des rois has evolved over time. In the 17th century, noblewomen at the French court who found the fève could even request favours from the king. How is that for a perk?
However, not everything was always smooth. In 1711, during a time of famine, the baking of galettes was briefly outlawed due to food shortages. But people found ways to keep the tradition alive, especially in rural areas where it continued secretly. Then, during the French Revolution, the name was briefly changed to “Equality Cake” in an attempt to remove any royal associations. But let’s be honest, no revolution could take away the joy of this precious treat!
The Tradition Today
Nowadays, the galette des rois is a beloved part of French culture, enjoyed throughout January. It brings together elements of ancient festivals, religious observances, and, of course, French culinary artistry.
Just remember, when you serve the galette, make sure the youngest is ready to hide under the table and distribute the slices. Whoever gets it will be crowned king or queen for the day, and trust me, it is always a bit of a thrill!
Join in the French tradition
You may wish to discover or rediscover these quintessentially French dessert!
What about a pound cake from Brittany or a sugar pie from the North ?
Do not forget to leave a comment and let me know how it turned out! And if you have any variation of this recipe that you would like to share, I would love to hear it. Be sure to check out my other easy-peasy recipes on the blog for more culinary inspiration!
Happy cooking and bonne dégustation!
Sixtine ;)
GALETTE DES ROIS
Ingredients
- 2 puff pastry rolls
- 150 g almond ground
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 20 g flour
- 120 g caster sugar
- 120 g butter melted
- 2 tbsp dark rum
- 1/2 tsp bitter almond extract
- 1 fève I took a charm but you can take a shell as well
- FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 °C.
- Cream together the sugar, ground almond, eggs, butter, flour, almond extract and rum : this mixture is called a frangipane.
- Place one of the puff pastry roll on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Prick the base all over with a fork.
- Spoon the frangipane on the puff pastry and spread it leaving a 5 cm edge around the diameter.
- Hide the fève (charm) in the almond cream filling.
- Brush the edges of the pastry disc with the egg yolk.
- Transfer the other pastry roll over the almond filing and seal the edges together firmly.
- Pierce several holes in the top pastry to ensure an even rise.
- Using a small sharp knife, mark a kind of sun ray pattern of the top (or anything else).
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup combining the icing sugar with the water.
- Remove the galette from the oven and brush it all over with sugar syrup.
- Put it back to bake for 15 minutes.
- Eat slightly warm.
