After a wonderful time and yummy Christmas and New Year dishes, our stomach rests for one week before celebrating… La galette des rois!
Traditionally celebrated on January the 6th or on the first Sunday following New Year, we do not miss a new opportunity to gather and to share a good time.
Historically, in Ancient Rome, people would share a cake shaped like the sun to celebrate the winter solstice. Enslaved people would become kings or queens for the day if they found a dried bean in their slices. With the rise of Christianity, the pagan cake became associated with the religious feast day of The Epiphany, commemorating the arrival of the Three Kings to the manger where Jesus was born.
In the 14th century, a new custom appeared ''the drinking king'': whoever found la fève (‘bean’ in English) must offer drinks to everyone. It was said that the stingiest people would swallow ‘la fève’ so they didn’t have to buy drinks. That is why a porcelain fève was created, more difficult to swallow!
Today, it is simply a festive way to celebrate the new year with family and friends, regardless of religious background.
Depending on the regions and traditions, the galette takes on different shapes and flavors.
The North of France agrees on a puff pastry filled with frangipane (cream composed of almond flour and crème pâtissière) while the South of France favors La couronne des rois, a brioche crown with candied fruits and orange blossom. All regions agree on one point: you must have une fève. The small porcelain ''bean'' is slipped into the cake during its preparation.
The art of cutting the cake begins. The slices must be equal and perfectly made so that they don’t reveal the slice which contains la fève. The youngest person sits under the table and blindly chooses the distribution of each slice. Everyone tastes their slice, secretly hoping to be the lucky one to discover the bean hidden in one of the slices.
Be careful, lifting the top of your cake is prohibited! The fateful moment arrives: J’ai la fève! A guest finds it and he is officially king or queen of the day. He receives a paper crown, and he has to choose his queen or king for the day.
It’s now your turn to make a galette des rois and you will do it en français to get the whole experience!
Vous aurez besoin de:
- 2 pâtes feuilletées
- 140gr poudre d’amandes
- 100gr sucre fin
- 75gr beurre tendre
- 2 oeufs
- 1 jaune d’oeuf
- 1 fève
Etapes:
1 Placer une pâte feuilletée dans un moule à tarte puis piquer la pâte avec une fourchette.
2 Mélanger la poudre d'amandes, le sucre, les 2 oeufs et le beurre mou dans un saladier.
3 Placer la pâte obtenue dans le moule à tarte et y cacher la fève.
4 Recouvrir avec la 2ème pâte feuilletée en collant bien les bords.
5 Faire des dessins sur le haut de la tarte et étaler le jaune d'oeuf.
6 Enfourner pendant 20 à 30 min à 400°F; vérifier régulièrement la cuisson !
A peine sortie du four, elle est prête à être dégustée ! Accompagnée d’une bolée de cidre, elle n’en est que meilleure.
A vos fourneaux !
Traditionally celebrated on January the 6th or on the first Sunday following New Year, we do not miss a new opportunity to gather and to share a good time.
Historically, in Ancient Rome, people would share a cake shaped like the sun to celebrate the winter solstice. Enslaved people would become kings or queens for the day if they found a dried bean in their slices. With the rise of Christianity, the pagan cake became associated with the religious feast day of The Epiphany, commemorating the arrival of the Three Kings to the manger where Jesus was born.
In the 14th century, a new custom appeared ''the drinking king'': whoever found la fève (‘bean’ in English) must offer drinks to everyone. It was said that the stingiest people would swallow ‘la fève’ so they didn’t have to buy drinks. That is why a porcelain fève was created, more difficult to swallow!
Today, it is simply a festive way to celebrate the new year with family and friends, regardless of religious background.
Depending on the regions and traditions, the galette takes on different shapes and flavors.
The North of France agrees on a puff pastry filled with frangipane (cream composed of almond flour and crème pâtissière) while the South of France favors La couronne des rois, a brioche crown with candied fruits and orange blossom. All regions agree on one point: you must have une fève. The small porcelain ''bean'' is slipped into the cake during its preparation.
The art of cutting the cake begins. The slices must be equal and perfectly made so that they don’t reveal the slice which contains la fève. The youngest person sits under the table and blindly chooses the distribution of each slice. Everyone tastes their slice, secretly hoping to be the lucky one to discover the bean hidden in one of the slices.
Be careful, lifting the top of your cake is prohibited! The fateful moment arrives: J’ai la fève! A guest finds it and he is officially king or queen of the day. He receives a paper crown, and he has to choose his queen or king for the day.
It’s now your turn to make a galette des rois and you will do it en français to get the whole experience!Vous aurez besoin de:
- 2 pâtes feuilletées
- 140gr poudre d’amandes
- 100gr sucre fin
- 75gr beurre tendre
- 2 oeufs
- 1 jaune d’oeuf
- 1 fève
Etapes:
1 Placer une pâte feuilletée dans un moule à tarte puis piquer la pâte avec une fourchette.
2 Mélanger la poudre d'amandes, le sucre, les 2 oeufs et le beurre mou dans un saladier.
3 Placer la pâte obtenue dans le moule à tarte et y cacher la fève.
4 Recouvrir avec la 2ème pâte feuilletée en collant bien les bords.
5 Faire des dessins sur le haut de la tarte et étaler le jaune d'oeuf.
6 Enfourner pendant 20 à 30 min à 400°F; vérifier régulièrement la cuisson !
A peine sortie du four, elle est prête à être dégustée ! Accompagnée d’une bolée de cidre, elle n’en est que meilleure.
A vos fourneaux !
Chloé Joly
Paris, France
