King cake or Epiphany cake, called Galette des Rois in French, is a cake to celebrate the Epiphany.
Epiphany represents for the Christians the celebration of the apparition of the "Christ" or "Jesus" to the world, symbolized by the venue of the Magi after his birth.
The Magi, also called the Three Kings or the Three Wise Men where a group of distinguished foreigners who visited the Christ barn after his birth.
The Magi helped to spread the news of Jesus birth to the world!
Even if Epiphany cake is based on a religious symbolization, celebrating the King Cake with your friends is a lot of fun to do even if you are not practicing or believing in religions.
In France you can divide King Cake recipe in two parts:
The North of France:
The traditional King cake appears under the 17th century when Louis XIV was still a child.
King cake is made of baked puff pastry in the North of France.
King cake can be filled with:
- delicious almond paste
- with stewed fruits
Galette des Rois
The South of France:
In the South of France the King cake is a rounded crown shape brioche flavored with orange blossom added to some crystallized fruits.
This cake is called "Couronne des Rois" in the South of France which means King's Crown.
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Couronne des Rois
Because you have the chance to be in France, you should try both King cakes. The North one baked with puffed pastry filled with almond paste and the Southern brioche flavored with orange blossom and crystallized fruits one ;)
Sharing a King cake with friends and family is a good moment that you will spend with people you loved.
Inside the King cake is hidden a porcelain lucky charm, so be careful with your teeth when you will crunch the King cake!
If you found the lucky charm you have the right to wear a fantasy crown symbolizing that you are the king or the queen of the day.
With family, friend or coworkers we also have the tradition that if you found the lucky charm you must bring a King cake the next day!
So we can do the King cake party everyday ;)
The tradition of eating a cake to "choose the king of the day" comes from Roman celebrations during winter time.
To bring more joy in the long winter days the Romans were entertaining themselves by breaking the daily routines: Romans were giving to one slave the attribution of "the king of the day".
For one day the slave was able to behave like a master!
In the rest of the world the "Galette des Rois" is also celebrated.
For instance, Galette des Rois is named King cake or Epiphany cake in the States, Driekoningentoart in Belgium, Roscón or Rosca de Reyes in Spain, Bolo Rei in Portugal, Vassilopita in Greece or Pita in Bulgaria.
You will be able to find Galette des Rois in bakeries and in most supermarkets ;)
Bon appetit!
Traditional day to celebrate King cake in France: 6th of January.
Usual days of King cake celebrations: 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and so on till 15 of January.