Children, and the young-at-heart who adore Christmas, wait impatiently for January 6th (Epiphany). The Three Kings traditionally deliver their presents and they can tuck into their Galette des Rois. This dessert celebrates the journey made by the Three Kings who travelled across the dessert to bring gifts to the baby Jesus. Hidden inside this dessert cake are little figurines. Whoever finds one becomes king or queen for the day and everyone else has to obey them!
Round off Christmas like a king with a Galette des Rois
The Galette des Rois story goes back a mere 700 years when an enterprising French cake-maker saw an opportunity. Traditionally, it’s served on January 6th or the 12th Day of Christmas to celebrate the end of the festivities. This is when Christmas decorations come down and thoughts turn to the coming year, so it’s the perfect occasion to share a Galette des Rois. Why not turn it into a final Christmas party?
Fun facts about the Galette des Rois
During the French Revolution, the name Galette des Rois was understandably changed to ‘Gâteau de l’Egalité’ and even today, the President of France is unable to be King (or Queen) even for one day. So, the Elysée Palace has a special Galette des Rois without a figurine inside. True aficionados of Galette des Rois keep their charms from year to year, building up a fine collection. One man is said to have collected over 1,200 of them. That’s a lot of cakes!
How a Galette des Rois is made
A Galette des Rois is a frangipane tart with the frangipane being made from a mix of butter, ground almonds and other ingredients and then wrapped in a pastry crust. Definitely designed to add more calories to an already rich Christmas diet.
How to eat your Galette des Rois
There’s an age-old etiquette to eating your Galette des Rois properly. The youngest child hides under the table while the cake is sliced into equal portions. The hidden child then decides who gets which slice, not forgetting themselves. Whoever finds the figurine gets to wear the royal crown for the day. Once that’s decided, everyone can tuck into their slice. To be really traditional, eat it with cider or champagne! If you like Christmas food traditions, check out some more on foodpanda’s seasonal pages.
Looking for a Galette des Rois in Singapore? The Maison Eric Kayser and the Tiong Bahru Bakery will have them ready for delivery on January 6th!
