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The galette des rois (king cake) is a traditionnal cake in France (and other countries like Switzerland, as I’ve noticed since I’m here) that is eaten in January. The one I’m used to is made of puff pastry filled with almond cream (frangipane) but many people find it too rich, so you can also buy them filled with apple compote or sèche, without filling. I’ve also heard that there is a version in the south of France consisting of a brioche crown, but I’ve never tried.
In each galette, a fève, a small porcelain figure, is hidden. The one who finds the fève in his/her slice is declared king/queen for the day. The galettes are sold with paper crowns that the king can wear.
It’s usual in France to eat the galette des rois maybe 3 of 4 times during the month: at the office, with your family, with your friends, etc. It’s really more an excuse to gather with a group of people for a convivial moment at the beginning of a near year.
Personally, I don’t really like this cake, but I enjoy eating it once a year.
More details about this tradition:
- Usually the galette was to be eaten only to celebrate the Epiphany (jan 6th). However it’s now common to eat it during the whole month.
- To be perfectly fair with the chances of finding the fève, the one who cuts the slices doesn’t choose who gets them. In fact the youngest in the assembly has to go under the table and designate who gets each slice. This is not always respected though.
- When I was a kid, I remember that the king (or queen) had to choose a queen (or king). I haven’t seen that for many year so either it’s become obsolete or it was something for children. I really liked this part because you always had the thrill to get chosen by a cute boy (which never happened because at this age they just hate girls).
- Galettes are a serious matter in France. Either you like it or you hate it, because if you were indifferent, having to eat it each year made you loathe it. Honestly, it’s not a given to find a good galette. Many shops sell industrial ones, which taste like saturated fat and artificial almond flavour. But if your boulangerie is any good, chances are it will have a good galette. For the Parisian purists, the bakers union hold each year a best galette competition http://www.boulangerie75.org/resultats_concours.asp.
- You usually drink apple cider or orange juice with it. The sourness helps dealing with the glorious butterness of the galette.
