Brioche de Roi (brioche of the king) time in France, so I got this big chocolate beauty from Le Fournil d’Antan, Coustellet, for my grand-daughter’s 14th birthday celebrating with her friends.
I still loved that the tradition of the youngest child hiding under the table whilst the brioche was cut and handed out to whoever the child named was kept up . . . even now they are so much older and so much taller!
Whoever gets to find the little feve/trinket in their slice, wears the golden paper crown that comes with each brioche sold. The girls loved the nutella filling inside the cake.
It was my first time for this cake and it was voted delicious by all . . . no wonder they fly out the shop like ‘hot cakes’! There are two versions, the chocolate one here or another equally popular with the French, with traditional christmas glaceé fruits, or confit de fruits as it is called here.
If you find yourself at a ‘vide grenier’, a type of annual village yard sale held in the local square look out for old vintage feves. They are so many different ones available and cheap too. You can re-use them each year if you make your own brioche de roi.
You can also use the little feves if you make your own galette de roi, which is another type of traditional seasonal seasonal type tart that gets going later into january Epiphany time. I’ve found that most people tend to purchase the brioche de roi, however quite a few will give the galette de roi a go, especially since you can buy quality butter pastry here. Then all you need to make is the almond filling.
If in Provence in January and you see Brioche de Roi on sale at the boulangeries, either the chocolate ones or the confit de fruits ones, try one . . . you won’t be disappointed.
