Galette des Rois: French King Cake for Epiphany

There's King Cake, and then there's King Cake, apparently. Growing up in Texas, the only King Cake I knew was the oval-shaped, cream cheese frosting or icing-covered cake from New Orleans that was offered right before Mardi Gras.

Last year, I discovered Galette des Rois, a King Cake from France that is served on Epiphany, celebrating the Three Kings visiting the baby Jesus. Galette des Rois is a puff pasty-type cake filled with almond cream or frangipane.

Jessie Moore has a great post on the difference between the two.

Isn't it pretty? The Galette des Rois has a crispy, flaky shell, and the inside is filled with an orange-almond filling. The orange just gives it a bit of freshness.

Tradition has it that you can bake a tiny plastic baby Jesus or a dried bean inside. Whoever has that piece gets to be king or queen for the day. Since I like to take big bites and am afraid of choking, I skipped that part. Plus, I'm the only girl in our family, so I'm always queen for the day, right???

The process of making this made me so, so happy! ♥

CLICK TO CONTINUE READING...more sugar this way!