The timeless tradition of the Galette des Rois

Each year, in January, the Galette des Rois is served up across France, delighting with its buttery and almond-laden flavours. A tradition that combines quality time with friends and family with delicious indulgence, the Galette des Rois continues to be celebrated over the years. So, where did this tradition come from?

A pastry that dates back to Antiquity

The origin of the Galette des Rois dates back to Antiquity, with this tradition first making an appearance in an Ancient Roman celebration, Saturnalia, which paid tribute to the Roman god Saturn. During these festivities, a round and golden cake was shared amongst Romans and slaves. Whoever found the coin hidden in the cake was named Saturnalicius princeps or “Lord of Saturnalia” and could ask for whatever they wanted for a whole day.

This custom was passed on over the centuries, up until the arrival of Christianity, which added its own dimension to the tradition. The tale of the Magi (the three wise men) who travelled to offer their gifts to the baby Jesus led to the celebration of Epiphany, during which people share a Galette des Rois.

In the Middle Ages, whoever found the coin hidden in the cake had to pay a round for everyone. To avoid cheating and disputes, the coin was then replaced with a porcelain trinket, like the ones found in Galettes des Rois today.

The rituals of enjoying a Galette des Rois

There are certain rituals that have been developed around the Galette des Rois, varying from family to family, but they all focus on the essential concept: sharing. Traditionally, the galette is served on the day of Epiphany (6^th December) but in some regions, including Alsace, it is enjoyed throughout the month of January.

One of the best-known customs is having a child go under the table to hand out slices of the galette. When the galette is cut, an “innocent” child is picked to assign a slice to each guest, making sure that the pastry is distributed equally and fairly. This custom symbolises impartiality and the notion of justice, whilst other traditions relate to solidarity and charity, like the “part du pauvre”. Translating as “the poor man’s slice”, this ancient custom involved an extra slice being cut and set aside. Guests weren’t allowed to eat it as it was intended for the first poor person to knock on the door.

Last but not least, there’s the trinket, which is known as the “fève” in French, which is hidden in the galette. Whoever finds it in their slice becomes king or queen for the day and wears the symbolic crown, often entailing plenty of smiles and laughter amongst guests.

Upholding traditions through expertise

Rooted in this secular tradition, you can now find countless variations of galettes across France. Here at Maison Alsacienne de Biscuiterie, we’ve taken the utmost care to preserve our ancestral expertise along with the authentic flavours of the Galette des Rois, made with puff pastry as per Alsace custom.

We carefully select our ingredients to make sure that our Galettes des Rois pay delicious homage to this tradition and deliver an unforgettable taste experience. Our Galettes des Rois respect the traditional recipe which features frangipane, although we do add our own special touch of originality in our variations, such as the Apple and Damson Plum Galette and the Pistachio and Cherry Galette — guaranteed to delight even the most demanding palates. Each product is an invitation to share quality time together and make wonderful memories, particularly for the lucky person who finds one of our lucky charms…

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