Every January brings with it a reason to go out and eat cake. The Galette des Rois, also known as Three Kings cake, is a French creation designed to celebrate Epiphany (or Twelfth Night) and often has a charm hidden inside. If you're searching for one in London this January, here's where to start...
Nicolas Rouzaud at The Connaught
Mayfair - The Connaught, Carlos Pl, London W1K 2AL
The Connaught makes such a big deal about their galettes that they always have a yearly party to celebrate. Patisserie chef Nicolas Rouzaud's shop at The Connaught is the place to go to if you want one yourself. There will be a ceramic feve inside but one lucky person will find a special lemon feve, which wins you a pair of lemon-drop sapphire and diamond earrings.
How much: £50
Chez Antoinette
Covent Garden and Victoria
Alongside their restaurants, Chez Antoinette also have Maison Gigi's, their patisserie and deli in Victoria. Made by Head Pastry Chef Antoine Tanazacq, it will be available from 5-30 January and features the traditional buttery puff pastry and a generous layer of rich, house-made frangipane. You can order or bur it at the patisserie, and it will also be on the dessert menu at both Chez Antoinettes at the same time.
How much: £32
Birley Bakery
Chelsea - 28-30 Cale Street, London SW3 3QU
Over at the Birley Bakery on Chelsea Green, Executive Head of Bakery and Pastry, Vincent Zanardi has come up with a galette filled with frangipane cream, dark rum and almonds. It's £38 and will be on sale from 3 January until the end of the month.
Brasserie Zédel
Piccadilly - 20 Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED
It's a full-scale celebration for Epiphany at Zedel where everyone dining there on 6 January will be offered a free slice of galette to go with the Gallic menu featuring classics like French Onion Soup; Steak Tartare and Haddock Goujonette. They'll have live music all night long too.
Julie's
Holland Park - 135 Portland Rd, London W11 4LW
This year, the Julie's galette is just available on 6 January for dinner (and bear in mind you need to pre-order it). Theirs is the traditional galette, filled with almond frangipane and all encased in buttery puff pastry, each hiding a feve inside.
How much: £24 for four people or £36 for six people.
Paul Bakery
Various locations
With branches across town, the French Paul Bakery will be the easiest place to get a galette. Their galette is the usual all-butter puff pastry filled with a rich, rum-laced almond frangipane (and a limited-edition Paul feve, of course).
How much: £21.95
De Beauvoir Deli
Islington - 98 Southgate Road, London N1 3JD
If you love the idea of having a whole galette rather than an individual slice all to yourself then you'll need to check out the galettes at this North London deli. In addition to full-sized ones with feves, which are £30, they're selling one-person-sized galettes for £5.50 so you can legitimately refuse to share.
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