Galette des rois – the ultimate guide (2024)

FAQs

Galette des rois – the ultimate guide? ›

The ultimate guide must, obviously, start with the basics; what is it? In a nutshell, a galette des rois is a sweet pie made with puff pastry. Inside, you'll typically find frangipane, a cream of almonds, butter, eggs and sugar. The Cordon Bleu recipe adds a splash of rum.

Tradition dictates that when serving galette des rois, the entire cake should be divided such that each guest receives a slice, plus an extra, symbolic slice for any unexpected visitor, or poor person, that should pass by.

The galette des rois is a cake traditionally shared at Epiphany, on 6 January. It celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem. Composed of a puff pastry cake, with a small charm, the fève, hidden inside, it is usually filled with frangipane, a cream made from sweet almonds, butter, eggs and sugar.

The best wines to pair with galette des rois

The best food and wine pairings with a frangipane puff pastry are a sweet white wine or a sparkling wine. Indeed, Champagnes go well with this sweet and gourmet dessert.

The serving ritual

The galette is then cut up and served, and the person who finds the figurine in their slice, becomes honorary king or queen for the day. A big part of why galettes des rois are so popular is that everyone wishes to find la fève in their slice.

La galette des rois — the “king cake” or “kings' cake” — is a fun and tasty French tradition associated with the January 6th holiday of Epiphany. According to tradition, the baker of the cake inserts la fève — a tiny charm or figurine — into the cake and then it is sliced.

The Galette des Rois is essentially frangipane encased within puff pastry and decorated by making cuts in the surface of the pastry. It's served in slices and can be eaten both hot and cold.

Fun Facts about the Galette des Rois

Quite right and proper. The word 'King' was forbidden and anyway who would want it? those were the days when kings and queens had their heads chopped off. The French President has a galette des rois but isn't allowed to “draw the king” on Epiphany.

Families come together on or around this date to share their galette, into which is baked a small ceramic baby charm (the “fève”). Whoever finds the charm in their slice of cake is deemed King or Queen for the day – thus the name of the cake and the paper crown that famously adorns this popular confection.

You can use any trinket or charm as long as it's around 3cm or less and is safe to go into the oven. Usually a ceramic or porcelain item is your best bet. PREFER TO SHOP ONLINE? Luckily there are many places to find classic and absolutely adorable fèves online to purchase.

What is the story behind galette des rois? ›

In France, the tradition of the Galette des Rois was introduced in the Middle Ages by the Benedictine monks, who celebrated the holiday of Epiphany in honor of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. They prepared a special pastry called the “cake of kings” or “Galette des Rois” for the occasion.

Of course, we'll start with a dry white wine such as a Loire chenin for example, or a round chardonnay. These are natural wines that often go well with fish, but they will also go very well with your galette des rois. Plain sparkling wines can also be a very good match for your galette des rois.

We call the act of sharing the Kings' cake “tirer les rois”. This literally means “to draw the kings”. Indeed according to tradition, the youngest member of the family or smallest host, must go under the table. He is the one who decides whom will get each slice.

The “king” is represented by the fève, once a fava bean, now a porcelain or plastic figurine, hidden inside the cake. The person who discovers the fève in their serving is declared le roi (the king) or la reine (the queen) and gets to wear the golden paper couronne (crown) that comes with cake.

Tradition dictates that when serving galette des rois, the entire cake should be divided such that each family member or guest receives a slice. During the slicing, the youngest hides underneath the table to call out the name of a person to receive each slice in turn so the server can't be accused of playing favorites!

We Choose a name that can represent both the activity of the brand and the luxuries looks that it stands for. After a lot of research, we came out with “Pain des Rois” A French name that is translated to “King's Bread” hence the high-quality. pastries we make.

The galette des rois, celebrating Epiphany, the day the Three Kings (les rois) visited the infant Jesus, is baked throughout January in France. Composed of two circles of puff pastry sandwiching a frangipani filling, each comes with a crown and always has a trinket, called a fève, or bean, baked into it.

Customarily, each galette contains a hidden fève (a porcelain trinket), and the lucky person who finds a fève will be crowned queen or king. The Galette des Rois is a long-standing French tradition, starting sometime in the 14th century.

Hidden in its interior, or under a slice, is a small plastic baby. Whoever finds it must either bring the next cake or throw a party, thus sparking an unending round of food and fun. Whether at the workplace, school or home - king cake is a gift that keeps on giving throughout the Mardi Gras season.