Be french Royalty for a meal

Living in London when you are French can be, food-wise, really challenging. We have probably the finest food you can find on earth, and have traditions which shape our year. Today, I would like to introduce you to one of my favourite parts of my heritage: the king’s cake, known in French as La galette des Rois.

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Every 6th of January, French people celebrate something called ‘the epiphany’ with a particular cake: the king’s cake, which is a puff pastry stuffed with a delicious almond-based blend. It comes from a Christian belief celebrating the arrival of the Three Wise Men for Jesus’ birth.

This tradition was first celebrated by the ancient Romans a few centuries ago. According to custom, the youngest person in the room has to go under the table and choose randomly to whom each piece of the cake will go to. The goal is to get the piece where the porcelain figurine is hidden. If you are lucky enough to have it, you will be crowned king or queen and will choose your partner; you will also have to buy the next cake!

How to make it?

Often times, the best thing about food traditions is the time spent together making food. So if you want to make your own Galette des Rois, here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Puff pastry (homemade or not)

• 125 gr of sugar

• 60 gr of butter

• 2 eggs

• 150 gr of grounded almonds

• 1 Vanilla bean

• 1 egg yolk to brown the top of the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C

2. Whisk the sugar and softened butter together, then add the almond powder

3. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean and add them to the mixture

4. Add 2 whole eggs

5. Place the first circle of the puff pastry, then garnish with the almond blend

6. Place the figurine wherever it pleases you

7. Cover/close with a second circle of puff pastry

8. Varnish the top of the cake with the egg yolk, so it can brown in the oven

9. Bake for 40 minutes at 180°C

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