Authentic Galette des Rois Recipe – French Kings Cake (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between king cake and galette de rois? ›

You'll notice the shapes of the two king cakes are quite distinct as well. The Galette is a complete circle with no center opening and an elegant golden brown egg-wash finish. In contrast, the Roscon, with its open center and colorful jewels of dried fruits, has a cheery look.

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.

Some associate it with Mardi Gras, others with a celebration known as Epiphany. King cake is eaten on January 6 in honor of Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, which historically marks the arrival of the three wise men/kings in Bethlehem who delivered gifts to the baby Jesus.

The Galette des Rois or the King's Cake is traditionally eaten on the 6th January each year to celebrate the Kings visiting baby Jesus. The Galette des Rois comes from the Roman tradition where the Romans would choose a slave to be King for the day. The cake was baked with a lucky charm inside.

One other key difference between Rosca de Reyes and Mardi Gras Cake is how they are decorated. The Reyes cake has no green, white, or yellow icing, but actually is decorated with candied fruit to resemble a king's crown. With Mardi Gras King Cake, if you find the baby you have to buy the next cake.

Traditionally King Cake is cinnamon flavored with sweet green, gold, and purple sugar or icing. In recent years King Cakes flavor options have expanded to cream cheese, chocolate brownie, and praline pecan fillings. Some bakeries offer half and half options. These include original, lemon and Bavarian cream.

Cider with your galette des rois

Less than 3% vol. for a sweet cider; between 3 and 4.5% for a semi-dry cider and around 5% for a brut cider. There are also mentions such as extra brut or extra sec in some regions of France. For example, extra brut cider from the Cotentin region (we offer some on our site!)

Today is the day we get to eat Galette des Rois, or King's Cake. As a sweetener, parents (or the pastry shop) hides a small figurine sandwiched among the warm rum scented layers of frangipane (almond cream) and puff pastry.

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.

Once French colonists came to North America and settled in the Mississippi Delta area, the king cake really cemented itself in the American Christian tradition. Some people even eat king cakes throughout the entirety of Epiphany season.

What is the most famous king cake? ›

A classic king cake if there ever was one, Randazzo is a favorite among purists, and for good reason—the family has been making this beloved recipe since 1965. Their hand-braided, cinnamon-infused cake is covered in "Randazzo" icing and topped with the traditional tri-colored sprinkles.

Something like king cake is available year round, but those faithful to New Orleans tradition know it only has its cultural significance during Carnival season. That season will fly by this year, between the kick off on Jan. 6 and Fat Tuesday bringing down the curtain on Feb. 13.

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.

The Galette des Rois has become a symbol of January, so does its bean. But by the way, why is it a bean inside? Because during the Saturnals, it was a dry bean that was hidden in the galette. With time, it has become something to collect each year.

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.

The French version is baked with an almond-filled puff pastry giving a fluffy texture and features a decorative pattern, sometimes topped with a crown. The New Orleans style King cake shares more similarities with the Spanish or Latin version, which is ring-shaped and topped with icing and candied fruit.

New Orleans' king cakes are usually made with a Danish or brioche pastry, unlike the French ones, and are, at a minimum, decorated with purple, green and gold sugar, the colors of Mardi Gras.

It's flaky, sweet and best served when warm, straight out of the oven. But the pleasure brought by a galette des rois isn't merely due to its delicious taste – it's also the anticipation of wondering whether you will be the lucky one to discover la fève, a tiny charm, buried inside one of the slices.