La Galette des rois - Cake for Kings
Apparently the word galette is related to the word "galet" which means a pebble because of the similarity of shape.
Why this cake has been associated with the feast day of Epiphany (the Three Kings) is unclear but the use of a "fève" inside a cake is much older than the advent of Christianity. Romans used to celebrate Saturnalia : during 7 days everything was allowed. The King of the Feast was the one who found a bean in his share of the cake. Originally , then, a bean was used but at the end of the 19th century small ceramic objects started being used instead. Nowadays, there are all sorts of "fèves", some made of plastic, and they are eagerly collected by "fabophiles".
Interestingly enough, the way in which the Feast of the three kings is celebrated seems to differ from area to area. I was born and brought up near Paris: there it was usual for the youngest child in the family to go under the table and shout out the name of the recipients of each portion of the galette. This was supposed to prevent any cheating. The one who found the "fève" in his or her portion became the King or Queen. They then had to choose either a Queen or a King (hence the gold crowns sold with the cake! The King then had to buy a present for the Queen.
Danielle Guérin, our grocer, was most intrigued when I told her this: according to her, here, there is no tradition of a child going under the table and you do not have to chose a King or Queen. However, if you have the "fève", you have to buy the next galette!
Also the recipe seems to differ in various parts of France. Until I came to live here I had never seen a galette shaped like a big doughnut. In Paris they were always flat, made of flaky pastry, sometimes filled with frangipane (a cream made with almonds). Just to complicate matters I have just purchased from a local supermarket a Swiss "brioche des rois", which I have not eaten yet! Does anyone know which other European countries have galettes?
Waiting for replies!
Anne-Marie Harrison
PS What about the sixpenny bit in Christmas puddings? What does it actually mean? Can you use another coin? Answers, please!
RECIPIE (Serves 8 people)
130g sugar, 130g unsalted butter, 130g ground almonds, 3 eggs , two 30cm rounds of puff pastry, one charm.
Preheat the oven to 200 C, beat the butter and sugar, add one egg then another. Add the charm and the almonds.
Line a greased baking tin with one of the pastry rounds and fill it with the almond mixture. Beat a third egg and use it to brush the edges before sticking the second pastry around the top.
Use a knife to make a diamond pattern on the pastry top, glazing with the remaining beaten egg.
Bake for 30 mins untill golden brown and serve warm with a crown on top.