You might have spotted it on your Instagram - but what's the big deal with that flaky pastry cake wearing a crown?
Whilst many will still be struggling to digest the copious amount of food that come with Christmas and New Year, we do have another gastronomic date for your diary which has long been a custom in many a foodie’s calendar. As with all the best food-related traditions, the festivity derives from France and is celebrated annually on the 6th January to mark the feast of Epiphany. The star of the show? The Galette des Rois – a crispy puff pastry tart filled with a soft and buttery frangipane almond filling (and sometimes alternatives like apples, plums or even chocolate).
The Galette des Rois at Balthazar, Covent Garden
The tradition is said to date back to the 14th Century and is meant to mark the arrival of the three kings to meet baby Jesus. However, the making and eating of the cake has picked up some strange customs over the years, whose origins are trickier to trace. Perhaps most bizarrely - tradition denotes that the youngest in the room must hide under a table and pronounce to the cutter who should be given which piece. Somewhere within the glorified galette hides a charm known as a “féve” – traditionally this was a bean but it’s now more commonly a plastic trinket which many people collect to mark their years of good fortune. Whoever finds the féve (without swallowing it in the process) is declared King or Queen of the party and is given the crown which originally adorned the tart to wear all evening.
In true French style the cake is usually accompanied – not with a cup of tea – but a glass of cider or Champagne, and the event is often a welcomed excuse for a party to chase away the January blues. In recent years Londoners have become rather fond of the occasion too and many bakeries, patisseries and restaurants across the capital serve their own version of the delicacy throughout January.
Where to find Galette des Rois in London
The Connaught
The Connaught throws an annual party for the hospitality industry which is usually attended by an A-list of top chefs, restaurateurs, and hosted by the hotel’s 2 Michelin-starred chef Hélène Darroze. For anyone else wanting a slice of the action the hotel serves the galette throughout the month of January and anyone who finds a lucky féve is gifted another tart to take home with them.
Balthazar
Elsewhere Covent Garden restaurant Balthazar always serves a variation of the tart on their menu and in its next door boulangerie. This year a slice of the iconic French desert comes served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and any guests who find the hidden figurine will receive a golden crown and complimentary glass of Champagne. Discerning palettes will notice the touch of orange zest and hazelnut powder in the frangipane. A whole galette is also available to order online for delivery to your home or office until 16th January for £20.
Mariage Frères
If you head to thihs luxury tea emporium you’ll be spoilt with a choice of two different Galette de Rois this year. The Amandier Blanc is a striking glossy black version of the frangipane classic, infused with Mariage Frères signature Marco Polo tea blend, filled with Amandier Blanc tea paste and topped with a silver dragee. Alternatively the Vert Amande is a more traditional golden colour but with a gentle infusion of Mariage Frères green almond tea blend. Each serves between six and eight and costs £45 to sit in or takeaway.
PAUL Bakery
For a more affordable version, the patisserie chain PAUL will be selling their traditional limited edition Galette Frangipane for £18.95 across all their shops until the end of January. The cake promises buttery puff pastry with a creamy frangipane centre. True to tradition it comes served with a hidden ceramic charm and a golden crown for whoever discovers it.
Brasserie Zedel
Exclusively on 6 January, the iconic French restaurant Brasserie Zedel will be hosting their ever-popular Fete des Rois celebration. Anyone who comes to Zedel from 5pm wearing a crown will be eligible for a free 3-course meal with a glass of wine. No strings attached, although one caveat: crowns from a cracker don’t count!
Dominique Ansel
Unsurprisingly top French pastry chef Dominique Ansel prides himself on his traditional Galette des Rois with its flaky reversed puff pastry crust and rich almond filling. The popular eponymous bakery chain with sites across London describes its traditional epiphany bakes as almond croissants in cake form and they are available for pre-order online until 26 January for £30.
We’re delighted to have reason for postponing the detox, but if that post-Christmas diet is weighing on your conscience then check out the 25 healthy restaurants in London that you need to try.