Le délicieux Gâteau des Rois en Provence

Epiphany in Provence and its traditional "King Cake"

Once again in Provence , we do not like to do like everyone else and, at the time of Epiphany, the tradition is not to taste the galette des rois and its frangipane, which we reject by calling it "the Parisian galette" or "the Parisian", and which we judge to be too flat.
The Provençal delicacy of this January period is known as the "king cake" or the "king's crown" . It is a sweet brioche in the shape of a circle, revealing a round and generous form , delicately flavored with orange blossom and studded with candied fruit , which delights the palates of the Provençal people at the beginning of the year.

History and Origin of the King Cake

A Roman tradition...

This Provençal tradition is believed to have originated from pagan festivals celebrated by the Romans, called the Saturnalia. This festival was an opportunity to get drunk and break down social barriers between masters and slaves in order to celebrate together the return of the sun and the beginning of longer days . A real bean was hidden inside a cake filled with figs, dates, and honey, then divided equally among everyone, regardless of their social standing. Whoever found the bean was crowned king for a day and could do as they pleased.

...which is becoming a Christian tradition

Like many other pagan festivals, the Christian religion adopted this tradition , and today it is customary to eat the King Cake on January 6th . This date corresponds to the arrival of the Three Wise Men to the infant Jesus , from which the cake derives its name.
Candied fruits , a specialty of Provence and more specifically of the town of Apt in the Luberon, represent in the crown of kings the jewels offered as a gift by the Magi to Jesus Christ.

The Epiphany tradition in Provence today

Today in Provence, the tradition surrounding the King Cake remains deeply rooted in the habits of the Provençal people . It is still enjoyed on January 6th or the first Sunday of January , but not only then…
In Provence, the region's rich gastronomy makes us true gourmets, and we rarely eat just one King Cake a month. This indulgence usually extends throughout January, and even until Candlemas , which marks the end of the Christmas festivities. It can be found in most bakeries across Provence.

The nativity scene is a true tradition in Provence , with a series of small ceremonies taking place in homes. People wait until December 24th to place the baby Jesus in the manger, surrounded from the beginning of December by santons, small clay figurines that represent a genuine local craft in Provence (see the article " Celebrating Christmas in Provence ").
It is only on January 6 , the day of Epiphany , that one can add the figurines representing the Three Wise Men and their offerings before the baby Jesus in the manger.

In Provence, generosity reigns, and not one but two trinkets are hidden in the King Cake . One is a traditional, edible bean , and the other is a small figurine . Whoever finds the bean is crowned king, and whoever discovers the figurine becomes the king's subject. The king will then have to buy the next King Cake for everyone.

Traditionally , the youngest child goes under the table and distributes the slices blindly, so that there is no cheating on the size of the slices and the distribution of the beans. One more slice is always cut than the number of people present: this is the "poor man's slice".

The Recipe for King Cake

At Slow Provence, we offer you a simple recipe for making a king cake (for 6 people):

Ingredients

Preparation

60 g of powdered sugar
2 sachets of vanilla sugar
130g of butter
500 g of flour
5 egg yolks
20g of baker's yeast
3 teaspoons of coarse sugar
200g of candied fruit
1 tablespoon of orange blossom water
1 organic orange
1 edible bean
1 small figurine bean

Crown of kings

Take the butter out of the refrigerator some time before starting the preparation so that it softens.

Dissolve the yeast in half a glass of lukewarm water and set aside.

Wash the orange and grate the zest.

Mix the flour with 4 egg yolks, then the sugars.

Cut the softened butter into small pieces and mix it with the yeast. Mix with the mixture by hand, kneading until a consistent dough is obtained.

Add the orange blossom water and orange zest to the dough.

Slide the beans in and form a ball.

Leave to rise for 6 hours in a cool place.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (Thermostat 6/7).

Flatten the dough slightly by hand. Make a hole in the middle to form the crown and place it on a pre-oiled baking sheet.

Brush the crown with the last egg yolk.

Garnish the wreath with candied fruit, which you can also glaze with agave syrup, maple syrup or honey.

Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes, keeping a close eye on it. Once out of the oven, you can sprinkle it with coarse or powdered sugar.

Don't forget to order two crowns!

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