Galette des rois

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

This classic French dessert is usually associated with northern and central France regions and belongs to the wide group of king cakes that are prepared and enjoyed on Epiphany—a Christian holiday celebrated on January 6, commemorating the arrival of Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. The cake is assembled with a thick layer of frangipane —almond-based pastry cream—that is sandwiched between two layers of buttery puff pastry. Tradition suggests to hide fève (a porcelain or plastic lucky charm) inside the frangipane, and whoever is lucky enough to find it will become a queen or a king for the day. Interestingly, during the Revolution, the name of this classic was gâteau de l’égalité , since royalty was not popular at the time. Nowadays, French bakeries usually sell the galettes with a symbolic paper crown on top. A similar dessert is found in Belgium and the Netherlands, where it goes under the name koningentaart .