19-02-2019
For most of us, after New Year’s Eve it’s back to business as usual. We start following through on our resolutions, avoid opening our credit card bills after the holiday season’s excesses, and begin planning for the summer. But in France, there’s still one more date on the festive calendar: “Épiphanie”, or Epiphany, which falls on January 6.
And as you can guess, there’s food involved. Epiphany is a Christian holiday commemorating the arrival of the Magi, or three kings, to the birthplace of the Baby Jesus, which explains the other name for the holiday in French: “Fête Des Rois” – Feast of Kings. This also explains the name of the dessert that’s eaten on this day, the galette des rois, which translates to “kings’ cake”.
It’s similar to the king cake served in New Orleans in the U.S., a nod to the state’s French influence; but in France it’s not multi-colored, and it’s only served on or around Epiphany. In New Orleans, king’s cake is a treat for the whole pre-Lenten season (in other words, from Epiphany right on up through Mardi Gras). In any case, the French galette des rois is usually a large, round puff pastry that looks like a pie with a glazed top. Inside is a layer of frangipane, or a sweet almond paste. Down in the southwest of France, king’s cake is a brioche bread with sprinkled sugar on top instead of filling. This alternative puff pastry version is called the “Paris”. In Occitan, the regional dialect of southern France, the cake is called “coca.”
Both types of galettes, however, have something else inside: a féve. It’s French for “bean,” and it points to the pre-Christian Roman origins of this holiday, when an actual bean was placed in the cake for participants to find. As their celebrations centered around flipping everyday scenarios, the galette was served at the end of a huge feast for servants and slaves; the bean was used to select a slave who would be king for a day. Some purists in France still use a bean, but more often than not the féve today is a porcelain (or plastic) trinket. In fact, the féve is now a huge industry, with every possible variation on theme being available for purchase – from cartoon characters to nativity figurines to corporate-branded “beans” that can be redeemed for prizes. Antique féves (dating back as far as 1875, when the figurines replaced the bean) are collectors’ items. In fact, in the Loire Valley there is a yearly favophile convention and market where they’re bought, sold, and traded like commodities!
The féve is put into the cake before it is baked, and then each person is given a slice during the cutting of the cake, called the “tirage des rois” (the drawing of the kings), in the hopes of having the féve in their piece. Whoever has the féve wins! What do they win, exactly? Well, usually just a round of applause. But technically, you are crowned king or queen of the Fête Des Rois. If you purchase a galette from a bakery, it even comes with a gold foil cardboard “crown” the winner gets to wear! Obviously, this is a big hit with the kids. It’s so popular, in fact, that younger kids usually have their own Fête Des Rois upon their return to school, with crowns for all the students and small prizes given to whoever retrieves the féve from their slice. As opposed to this generous take on the festivities, the galettes des rois presented to the president of France by local bakers contain no féves, so there is no chance the president is seen as being “crowned as king” in case he gets the trinket in his slice.
FAQs
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.
What do French people do to avoid cheating when serving the galette des rois? ›
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!
What is the meaning of the Gateau des Rois? ›
It's called Galette des Rois - the Cake of the Kings - in tribute to the three kings that arrived bearing gifts on the Epiphany. Of course, during the French Revolution - when being a King could lose you not just your popularity but your head - the name was changed to Gâteau de l'égalité or the cake of equality.
What is hidden in the galette des rois? ›
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.
What is the ritual when eating La Galette des Rois? ›
The traditional ritual of the galette des rois is both delicious and democratic. Seated around the table, the participants take part in a ceremonial sharing of the galette. The youngest among them plays the role of honor, often hidden under the table, guiding the equitable distribution of the slices among the guests.
What are some fun Facts about galette des rois? ›
Fun Facts. The French president is not allowed to play the “Galette des Rois” game. A giant 1.2m galette is prepared for the Elysée each year but the pastry chef is not allowed to bake a fève into it. This is because it's considered inappropriate for a king to be crowned in the presidential palace.
What do the French drink while eating the galette des rois? ›
Galettes and wines: slightly gourmet matches
Opt for a lively and young wine, based on Chardonnay, or a sparkling wine like the Crémant d'Alsace or the Crémant de Bourgogne.
What is a fun tradition for families while eating galette des rois? ›
Tradition. Savouring the Galette des Rois is a real social event in France. If there are any children around, you ask the youngest child to sit under the table. He or she has to say which slice is for whom.
What is the difference between King Cake and galette de Rois? ›
The Difference in Mardi Gras King Cake and Galette des Rois
One is VIBRANT. While the traditional Galette des Rois is more simple in design with the puff pastry as the star as the show, the Mardi Gras King Cake is covered in icing and Mardi Gras-colored sugar.
What is the trinket inside the galette des rois? ›
Whatever your style, the most important part of the tradition is to hide a little trinket called a fève inside while baking, whoever finds the fève is king or queen for the day!
Remember, finding the baby inside the king cake not only makes you a “king,” but it also comes with some responsibilities. If you are so fortunate to find the baby in your slice of cake, you will be responsible for hosting the next Mardi Gras celebration and providing the next king cake!
What does galette des rois taste like? ›
If you were to ask me what a galette des rois tastes like, my response would be something along the lines of: buttery puff pastry stuffed with the filling of a double baked almond croissant. Eloquent, I know. Though traditionally made it almonds, you can use different types of nuts for the crème.
What are the rules for galette des rois? ›
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.
What is the English name for galette des rois? ›
This also explains the name of the dessert that's eaten on this day, the galette des rois, which translates to “kings' cake”. It's similar to the king cake served in New Orleans in the U.S., a nod to the state's French influence; but in France it's not multi-colored, and it's only served on or around Epiphany.
Who typically distributes the pieces of the galette des rois to the guests? ›
What is the tradition? The Galette des Rois isn't just a cake, it is a ceremonial experience. First, the youngest child (and therefore the most innocent) goes under the table were they direct who should get which slice. If there are no children at the table, the cake is cut by the youngest person in the room.
Why is the galette eaten on January 6th? ›
Traditionally, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th, 12 days after Christmas. Beginning around the 13th or 14th century, sharing a Galette des Rois became a popular way to celebrate this occasion, with the cake signifying the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem.
What is the tradition of the Epiphany cake? ›
This tradition dates back to the 12th or 13th century when the monks of St. Michel, France would choose their Epiphany king by means of this cake. Many countries celebrate this day with a sweet bread or cake shaped in a crown to commemorate when the three kings visited Jesus, in Christian tradition.
How does the tradition of the king's cake work? ›
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.
