Learn French with "la galette des rois": history, vocabulary, and recipe
- Celine Art
- Jan 6
- 4 min read
Discover the history of "la galette des rois", its vocabulary, and a simple recipe to learn French with a delicious tradition.
La galette des rois: its history
(Read the article in French here and learn useful vocabulary).
La galette des rois is a French tradition whose origins date back to ancient times. It originated in the Saturnalia, Roman festivals celebrated at the beginning of January in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture and time.
At that time, the Romans already prepared a round, golden cake, symbolizing the sun, whose presence increases in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere after the winter solstice. This gradual return of light allowed seeds to grow and heralded future abundant harvests. A bean was then hidden inside the cake to represent fertility and prosperity. The person who found the bean was designated “king” or “queen of Saturnalia” for a day. Finding the bean was, and still is, considered a sign of good luck.
This pagan custom was later incorporated into the Christian tradition of Epiphany, celebrated on January 6. This holiday commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus. The Church officially adopted this tradition in the 14th century. At that time, the bean, originally a legume, was gradually replaced by a gold coin, then by a porcelain bean in the 19th century.
In France, the tradition of the galette des rois also developed in the 14th century and continues to this day. The galette is divided into as many pieces as there are people present, with an extra piece called the “poor man's piece.” Introduced by Christians, this practice was intended to encourage solidarity: the poor man's piece was given to someone in need. This custom is much less common today.
When cutting the cake, the youngest person present traditionally slips under the table. Considered the most innocent, they designate the recipient of each slice aloud. This tradition prevents cheating, especially if the bean becomes visible when cutting.
Nowadays, French people tend to gather with family or friends around the galette des rois on January 6, or sometimes several days before. As the galette is very popular, it is common to enjoy several throughout the month of January. They can also be found in supermarkets well before Epiphany.
That said, nothing beats a homemade galette des rois to fully appreciate this French tradition. There are two flavors that are very popular in France: apple galette and frangipane galette, which is the most popular.
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La galette des rois : the recipe
Here is a simplified recipe for the traditional galette, which is the frangipane version, my favorite :)
Get ready to cook!
(Read the article in French here and learn useful vocabulary).
Ingredients for one galette (serves 4 to 8):
2 sheets of puff pastry, each approximately 10 inches in diameter.
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 eggs
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
1 egg yolk (for glazing)
1 tablespoon milk (for glazing)
1 charm (a bean, porcelain or plastic figurine)
1 cardboard crown (or other materials for the more creative!) to crown the king or queen of the day.
Preparation steps:
Prepare the frangipane:
· In a bowl, mix the softened butter and sugar until creamy.
· Then add the ground almonds and mix.
· Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
· Add the rum (if desired) and mix again. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (thermostat 6).
Place one of the sheets of puff pastry in a pie dish lined with parchment paper.
Spread the frangipane evenly over the pastry, leaving a space of about 2 cm around the edges.
Insert the porcelain or plastic charm into the frangipane.
Brush the edges of the pastry with water using a pastry brush.
Place the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the filling and press lightly around the edges to seal the two sheets together.
Using the tip of a knife, draw a decorative pattern on the top of the galette without piercing the pastry.
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk and milk to prepare the glaze. Gently brush the top of the galette with this mixture to give it a beautiful golden color when baked.
Place the galette in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until it is golden brown and puffed up.
Once cooked, remove the galette from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Serve warm or at room temperature with champagne or cider.
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· « As-tu déjà mangé une galette des rois ? »
· « Dans ton pays, y a-t-il un dessert traditionnel en janvier ? »
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