Galettes des rois, a tasty French tradition

Last updated date : 29th December 2024

The first week of the new year in France is all about enjoying galette des rois, or king cakes, as part of the Epiphany celebrations. You can spot these shiny golden treats in bakeries and supermarkets ensuring the festive cheer lasts all through January. Are you ready to claim your title as the day’s queen or king? Let’s dive into some fun questions :

1. Do you know the origins of this delightful tradition?
2. When is Epiphany actually celebrated?
3. What different kinds of galette des rois are there?

Don’t forget to check out the tasty selections in Paris at the end of this article! If you’d like to learn more, feel free to ask about my French Conversation Lessons.

photo © Paris select

The galette tradition has its roots in ancient pagan customs, dating back to Roman times when people celebrated the solstice and honored Saturn, the god of agriculture and time. During these festivities, both masters and slaves would come together to enjoy a feast, and a bean would be hidden in one of the dishes or baked into a round cake resembling the sun. The lucky slave who discovered the bean would be crowned king for the day.

Today, we enjoy this cake to commemorate the arrival of the Three Kings—Melchior, Gaspard, and Balthazar—who visited Jesus in Bethlehem. The practice of hiding a bean in the cake became intertwined with this Christian celebration. The cake is sliced, and one piece, known as God’s portion or la part du Bon Dieu, is given to someone in need.

Over time, the bean was replaced by a small ceramic or porcelain figurine representing Baby Jesus or another religious symbol. Nowadays, these figurines have expanded to include a wide range of trinkets, and some enthusiasts, known as fabophiles, even collect them, creating rare collections.

Epiphany is traditionally celebrated twelve days after Christmas, specifically on January 6. In recent changes, this date shifts to the second Sunday following Christmas, which often lands on the first Sunday of January. This is when the famous galette des rois is typically served and enjoyed.

If you’re unable to celebrate on that weekend, you can still find the galette in stores. It’s so popular that it’s available from December through the end of January. In places like France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada, people of all backgrounds partake in the celebration, whether or not they follow the Christian faith.

There are two main types of galette des rois to choose from:

1. Puffed pastry filled with almond paste
2. Brioche topped with candied fruits

As creativity grows among pastry chefs, new flavors and styles appear each year. The celebration of Epiphany has turned into a way to showcase the finest bakeries, featuring unique and exciting galettes. You might find interesting flavors like yuzu, pears or even mont-blanc. Prices can vary significantly, with some galettes costing upwards of 65 or 75 euros for the most exceptional creations in Paris

Crowned the best pastry chef in the world, Nina Métayer is treating us to three delightful galettes des rois to celebrate Epiphany 2025.

Get ready for three delightful new galettes: “La Boussole,” the beloved “L’Ambrée,” and the occasion-themed “La Notre-Dame.” Each one is crafted with AOP Charentes-Poitou butter pastry and almond frangipane. Nina Métayer has blended exquisite flavors to create three stunning and delicious treats.

The king cakes by Cyril Lignac are available in three delightful flavors: yuzu, gianduja, and almond.

In honor of his southern heritage, he also presents the Gâteau des Rois, a fluffy brioche scented with orange blossom. Enhanced with candied oranges, crunchy sugar, and caramelized dried fruits, this specialty brings the tastes of the South to life. You can enjoy it individually for €5 or share it with five others for €30, offering a lighter and celebratory option compared to the classic galette.

To kick off the year 2025 in style, Chef Pâtissier François Perret invites us to explore his two new Galettes des Rois at Ritz Paris Le Comptoir. One is a delightful Vol-au-Vent style galette while the other is a classic frangipane galette.

Drawing inspiration from a beloved savory classic, the Vol-au-Vent galette features a crispy puff pastry that encases a delicately flavored hazelnut frangipane and a subtly tangy apple compote. At its center, a melting praline sprinkled with roasted buckwheat seeds brings an incredible depth and texture.

For 2025 Jeffrey Cagnes offers a collection that is both stylish and unique. The traditional galette stands out with its inverted flaky pastry and rum-infused frangipane, topped with a signature icing design.

Nut lovers will be delighted by the hazelnut galette. Moreover, the king’s babka presents a brioche filled with pistachio praline, pistachio frangipane, and a subtly orange blossom-infused orange confit. Lastly, the brownie galette combines inverted puff pastry with a gooey dark chocolate brownie center, a chocolate crumble, and almond-hazelnut praline.

Finally, to celebrate Maison Kayser’s presence at the French Pavilion of the World Expo in Japan in 2025, Éric Kayser has crafted a delightful galette featuring pure butter pastry from Touraine and a frangipane cream infused with cherry blossom syrup, all atop a raspberry-seed jam.

Embark on a quest for the Osaka 2025 bean and select the kings and queens of your sweet moments.

If you want to dive deeper into the world of French pastries, take a look at our Guide to the French pastries part one and part two. I truly love welcoming students from cooking classes and anyone passionate about French cuisine into my classes!