La Galette des rois
celebration of Christ being visited by the Magi, the epiphany was set to
January the 6th by Pope Julius II. Also known as le jour des Rois, this is the
day when the three kings are traditionally added next to the crib. Over the
years, this religious festival overlapped with pagan traditions that went back to
the Roman Saturnalia.
From the Middle Ages, the epiphany has been celebrated with a special
Twelfth Night cake: la galette des rois, literally the King's cake. The galette
differed according to the regions: for example it was made of puff pastry in
Paris, but made of brioche and shaped as a crown in Provence. Under Louis
XIV, the Church considered this festival as a pagan celebration and as an
excuse for indulgence, and it was subsequently banned. To get around this
ban, it became la fête du bon voisinage (literally, 'neighbourly relations day').
This culinary tradition even survived the French Revolution when it became
the ‘Gâteau de l’Êgalité (the equality cake), as Kings were not very popular in
those years!
The cake contains a lucky charm (une fève) which originally was a bean, a
symbol of fertility. Whoever found the charm in their slice of cake, became
King or Queen and had to buy a round of drinks for all their companions. This
sometimes resulted in stingy behaviour and to avoid buying a round of drinks,
the potential King or Queen very often swallowed the bean! This is why
towards the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, the lucky
charm started being made of china. The charm can take any shape or form
and can either be very plain or more sophisticated (glazed or handpainted). It
sometimes represents a religious figure such as the baby Jesus, but it can be
virtually anything. Little horseshoe shapes are popular as they are thought to
bring luck. Although nowadays very often made of plastic, old-fashioned china
charms are still used and they have become a collectable item.
The modern Galette des Rois is made of puff pastry and can be plain or filled
with frangipane, an almond-flavoured paste. It is sold in all French bakeries
and eating the galetteat the beginning of January is still a very popular
tradition and an opportunity for families and friends to gather around the table.
The youngest person in the room (usually a child) hides under the table and
shouts out which guest each slice of cake should be given to. The person who
finds the fève in their slice of galette becomes the King or Queen and is given
a golden paper crown. The King or Queen then has to choose his Queen or
her King, by dropping the lucky charm in their glass.
Natalie Pomier © 2003
For the recipe you need :
For the almond filling
The Pithiviers can also be
called
"Galette des Rois"
- 125g/41/2OZ butter,
Three king's cake
softened
This gateau is so-called
- 340g puff pastry
because it is traditionally
- 125g/41/2OZ sugar
enjoyed on Epiphany, the day
- 1 egg, beaten with
when the arrival of the three
- 1 egg 1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt and
wise men in Bethlehem after
3 tbsp cold water
Jesus's birth is celebrated.
- 125g/41/2oz whole
It is only called "galette des
blanched almonds,
- icing sugar
Rois"
in January when there is
skinned and ground
a "fève" inside. If you get the
- 15g/1/2oz plain flour feve in your portion, you are
the King (or Queen) for the
day.
- 2 tablespoons rum
-1. Refrigerate the puff pastry.
-2. Make the almond filling: cream the butter in a bowl, add the sugar and beat
thoroughly. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk; then stir in the ground almonds,
flour and rum.
-3. Roll out half the puff pastry to a circle about 27cm/11in in diameter. Using
a pan lid as a guide, cut out a 25cm/10in circle from this with a sharp knife,
angling the knife slightly. Roll out the remaining pastry slightly thicker than for
the first round and cut out another 25cm/10in circle. Set the thinner circle on a
baking sheet, mound the filling in the centre, leaving a 2.5cm/1in border, and
brush the border with beaten egg. Set the second circle on top and press the
edges together firmly.
-4. Scallop the edge of the gateau by pulling it in at intervals with the back of a
knife. Brush the gateau with beaten egg, and, working from the centre, score
the top in curves like the petals of a flower. Do not cut through to the filling.
Refrigerate the gateau for 15-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to
220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
-5. Bake the gateau in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until firm, puffed and
brown.
- Serve warm