The Gallette des Rois is the French King Cake. It is the cake of the kings and is absolutely delicious. The delicate, flaky pastry with its wonderful filling and a féve hidden inside is now a New Orleans tradition brought from France. With New Orleans strong ties and history with France this is another wonderful thing we have incorporated in to our culture to this day. Many New Orleanians, including our family,  get the first gallette des rois on Twelfth Night, January 6,  to celebrate the beginning of carnival season with champagne and a small party. The gallette des rois is served throughout carnival season in New Orleans. Many parties will have the French delicacy as well as the regular New Orleans king cake that is covered in purple, green and gold sugar with a plastic baby hidden inside that one.

The gallette des rois is made of a puff pastry cake filled with frangipane, a cream made from sweet almonds, butter, eggs and sugar. It has a small porcelain charm, the féve, hidden inside. The crowning of the one who finds the féve in a piece of the cake is part of the tradition as well.

Enjoy this festive season and all the traditions of it.

Happy carnival!