Recipes King's Cake: La Brioche des Rois

Discover how French people celebrate Epiphany in Provence!

The Brioche des rois is a super soft, fluffy, rich, slightly sweet bread and sometimes flavoured with cognac or orange flowers. The brioche, which is still used in many regions, particularly in the south of France, is the most traditional form of the galette des rois. In the North, but also in Provence and Languedoc, it has come to be known as the gâteau des rois.

In the Southeast of France, it is sprinkled with delicious, colourful candied fruits. In the Southwest, white sugar pearls adorn the brioche, which add a delicious crunch to the soft, fragrant texture of this tasty bun. In both cases, the toppings represent the crown jewels. The choice of shape is intentional, for the result is a dish that resembles a crown!

This dessert is truly royal treat that is perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea, with a hot chocolate or coffee on the side. May the lucky person find the fève!

A simple traditional Gâteau des rois recipe

PREPARATION
45 minutes

COOKING TIME
20 minutes

DOUGH REST
4,30 hours

INGREDIENTS FOR 6 PEOPLE:

300 grams of flour

18 grams fresh baker's yeast
or 10 grams dry yeast

75 grams of 10 cl milk

45 grams caster sugar

0.75 level teaspoon of salt

37.5 grams of soft semi-salted butter - bring to room temperature 2 hours before use

1.5 eggs

15 millilitres of rum

1 ArtFun porcelaine bean!

GLAZING AND DECORATING:

1 egg yolk

1 pinch of salt (fleur de sel)

1 tablespoon of liquid cream

pearl sugar

candied fruit

Warm the milk for 10 seconds in the microwave and dilute the yeast. Let stand for a few minutes.

Place the flour, sugar, milk-yeast mixture and rum in the bowl of a food processor. Knead on low speed (speed 1) for 2 minutes.

Add the salt and eggs. Knead, still on speed 1, for 5 minutes.

Add the butter in small pieces, knead on speed 2 for 10 minutes. Then increase speed to 6 and knead for another 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and just slightly sticky.

Gather the dough into a smooth ball, cover with cling film or cloth and leave to rise at room temperature for 3 hours.

Degas the dough on a worktop covered with flour, insert the porcelain fève and make a ball.

Make a hole in the centre with your floured index and middle fingers, widen it, then turn the crown with both hands to make the crown and the hole big enough (so that it doesn't close up during baking).

Place the brioche on a perforated baking tray lined with baking paper and cover with a clean, dry tea towel. Leave to rise for 1.5 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F), with the fan turned on. Mix the egg yolk from the gilding with a pinch of fleur de sel and the cream. Brush the surface.

Sprinkle generously with pearl sugar and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden.

At the end of the baking time, take the brioche out of the oven and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the baking paper and place on a serving dish. Leave to cool for a further 15 minutes and decorate with candied fruit.