During Christmas and right after New Year, you may notice in Batida boutiques an unusual, tall puff pastry that only goes on sale at this time of year. It is Gallette des Rois , a French, round cake smelling of butter, layered with delicious almond cream with a porcelain surprise inside.
To say that it is just a cake would be an understatement, because the tradition of preparing Galette dates back to the 14th century in France. In France, on the occasion of the Epiphany, the cake was prepared in almost every home. By baking it and sharing it with loved ones, people paid tribute to the Three Wise Men – Gaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, who came to pay homage to the newborn Jesus.
At the beginning of the tradition, each cake contained a single broad bean or bean seed. The person who discovered this seed in their piece became the "king" or "queen" for that day and wore a specially prepared crown. Over time, the seeds were replaced by figurines, and so, at the end of the 18th century, porcelain decorations referring to the Christmas period appeared in the cake.
The Three Kings' Cake, as Gallette des Rois is often called, was also prepared at the royal court in Paris. A woman who found a grain or figurine in her piece of cake became the queen of France for a day and the king had to fulfill one of her wishes.
There is another custom associated with this unusual cake. Traditionally, the cake was divided into as many parts as there were participants, adding one portion. It was intended for the first poor person who knocked on the door.
Nowadays, the Three Kings cake is a great fun, especially for the youngest.
Figurines hidden in the dough depict, among others, animals, popular heroes from fairy tales, cartoons, characters from the Bethlehem nativity scene and often have collectible value.
In Poland, January 6 is a day off from work and maybe it's a good excuse to try Gallette des Rois prepared by Batida and make someone feel like a king that day?
