Galette des rois 2025: the Top 7 of the Marais

©Le Marais Mood

Why the galette des rois? Because in France, this tradition is not up for discussion: according to a study, 92% of French people take part in this gourmet ritual of Epiphany. From the beginning of the year, bakers and pastry chefs are playing for big. The galette des rois often represents the equivalent of a month's turnover. This year, the price of butter, eggs and sugar has increased while electricity is still just as expensive. However, many artisans have decided not to increase prices.

A symbol of sharing rooted in Christian culture, the galette des rois evokes the advent of Christ and the meeting of the three wise men representing humanity, universalism and peace. The origin of this gourmet tradition dates back to the 16th century and to Catherine de Medici, wife of Henry II, the king who died during a gala tournament in the Marais after being pierced by a lance. Catherine is said to have received the recipe for frangipane from the Italian Count Cesare Frangipani, who gave it its name.

The January 2, le Marais Mood gathered in conclave to test the best galettes des rois in the Marais. Here is our verdict.

Jacques Genin

Tradition has genius

Traditional pancake Jacques Genin

Just look at Jacques Genin's galette des rois to verify what we already know: this chocolatier from Haut-Marais is a huge perfectionist. Perfectly rounded, golden brown as desired, with an impeccable appearance, his galette also impresses with its inverted puff pastry that rustles when cut and crunches under the tooth.

Doubly dosed with almond cream, buttered to perfection, with a hint of rum, it fulfills point by point all the criteria of tradition. Genin has genius.

Traditional galette: 6-8 people €60
Chocolate almond galette: 6 people €72

▼ Jacques Genin
133 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 19 p.m.
Closed on Tuesdays
Phone : 01 45 77 29 01

chocolate house

The alliance of fruit and crunch

Royal Pineapple Galette LThe Chocolate House

We love the crunchiness of this galette, which is a work of art with its chocolate disc topped with vanilla-roasted pineapple, fresh coconut shavings and lime zest. A happy fruit-chocolate marriage by Nicolas Cloiseau, the formidable chef of the Maison du Chocolat whose inventiveness and finesse are well-established. The puff pastry is irresistibly crispy and perfectly caramelized.

Royal Pineapple Galette: 6-8 people €65

▼ The House of chocolate
14 Rue de Bretagne, 75003 Paris
Every day from 10h to 19h
Tél : 01 89 71 81 79

Pain de sucre

The Three Wise Men stop off on Rue Rambuteau

Traditional pancake Sugar bread

The traditional Pain de Sucre cake is worthy of this institution on Rue Rambuteau which, for over twenty years, has celebrated sweet and savory delicacies.

The house signs a simple but perfectly balanced galette. The airy puff pastry with AOP butter from Poitou shelters a creamy heart of almond cream flavored with orange zest, amber rum and orange blossom. The whole thing titillates the senses and is part of the finest tradition of French pastry.

Nathalie and Didier Mathray, the pastry chefs and cooks trained in starred gastronomic restaurants, offer their classic galette in three other versions: chestnut, exotic, rhubarb.

Traditional galette: 4-6 people €40

▼ Sugarloaf Pastry
14 Rue Rambuteau, 75003 Paris
Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Tél : 01 45 74 68 92

brothers wedding

White Tea Galette “Marco Polo Rhapsody” and Matcha Tea & Pomegranate from brothers wedding

The elegance of “matcha-pomegranate”
This cake stands out for its elegance: a golden dragée, small pearls, perfectly regular streaks and a shiny gilding. The well-developed puff pastry crumbles slightly when cut, which in no way diminishes the pleasure one feels when tasting this original creation. The matcha-pomegranate frangipane, a green as attractive as it is intriguing, is perfectly balanced. The matcha, very present, is sublimated by the almond, while the pomegranate brings a light tangy and fruity touch.

The whole thing is perfectly dosed in sugar. Between French tradition and Japanese flavors, the delicate balance is perfectly mastered.

“Matcha-pomegranate” galette: 6-8 people €55

Black as a sapphire
Before being a cake, it is a work of art in the shape of an immense precious stone. In the center of the table, the visual effect is guaranteed with its sapphire color and its sugared almond covered with gold leaf. Perfumed with the legendary Marco Polo Rhapsody white tea, the silky frangipane blends harmoniously with the candied blueberries and blackcurrants that burst in the mouth.

During the tasting of the Marais Mood, this cake delighted our youngest testers, enchanted by this extraordinary composition in the truest sense of the word. The tea house Mariage frères recommends tasting this charcoal puff pastry – we want to write “leaf-tea” – with the “Balthazar” tea.

“Marco Polo Rhapsody” Galette: 6-8 people €55

▼ Brothers wedding
30 rue du Bourg Tibourg, 75004 Paris
Daily from 10h30 to 19h30
Tel: +01 42 72 28 11

Sliced ​​Pastry

A “pie” for Epiphany

Chocolate cake Slice

This galette seduces with its rounded, almost rustic appearance, reminiscent of a pie, the savory cousin of the galette. Its impressive height hides a brown frangipane made with 60% cocoa and pecan nuts. The almond, subtly twisted with cocoa and generous pieces of pecan, evokes the familiar flavor of a brownie.

This powerfully flavored creation is made for chocolate lovers. The cherry on the cake: it is one of the most affordable in our selection.

Chocolate galette: 6 people €35

▼ Marsh Trench
28 Rue Saint-Antoine, 75004 Paris
Monday to Friday, 8 p.m. to 20:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 19:30 p.m.

All around the Bread

A galette made according to the rules of art

Traditional pancake All about bread

Having won several awards for its pastries and its crispy baguette, the bakery Tout autour du Pain, at the northern end of rue de Turenne, has accustomed us to perfect consistency in the creation of the great classics.

Melchior, Gaspard and Balthazar would probably not have denied this traditional homemade galette. Executed according to the rules of the art, it meets the expectations of lovers of sure values: a not too crunchy puff pastry, a melting buttery taste, a balanced frangipane. All of this calls for a glass of sparkling wine!

Traditional galette: 6 people from €25 to €28

▼ All about bread
134 Rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
Daily from 5h30 to 19h30
Tel: +01 42 78 04 72

Text: Katia Barillot and Tiana Salles

03.01.24

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