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Provencal King’s Brioche Recipe
January 6, 2025 · Valerie Brunet
About the Tradition of La Galette des Rois
Every year on January 6th, France celebrates Epiphany with the beloved Galette des Rois, a classic French dessert that brings families and friends together. While the traditional Galette des Rois is a puff pastry filled with almond cream (frangipane), in Provence, a unique variation takes center stage: the Brioche des Rois, also known as the Gâteau des Rois.
The Brioche des Rois is a crown-shaped brioche that’s soft, golden, and beautifully decorated with pearl sugar and candied fruits, making it as visually stunning as it is delicious. Its fragrant flavors come from orange blossom water, rum, or zest from citrus fruits, adding a touch of Provençal charm to this festive treat.
Traditionally, a small charm called a feve is hidden inside the brioche, and the person who finds it in their slice is crowned the King or Queen for the day. This fun and meaningful ritual makes La Galette des Rois more than just a dessert—it’s a cherished French tradition filled with joy and community spirit.
Want to make your own Brioche des Rois at home? Scroll down for my step-by-step recipe, complete with tips to help you succeed every time! Plus, I’ll answer some frequently asked questions about this delightful tradition.
Ingredients
400 g of flour
70 g of sugar
70 g of butter at room temperature
2 eggs
100 ml of milk
1 pinch of fleur de sel (sea salt)
1 packet of dry baker’s yeast (10 g) or 20 g of fresh yeast (1/2 cube)
1 tsp of zest from an orange or lemon, OR
2 tbsp of orange blossom water or rum
200 g of candied fruits
3 tbsp of pearl sugar
Optional: 3 tbsp of apricot jam
Directions
- This recipe can be made with a bread machine (BM), a stand mixer, or by hand!
- Start by dissolving the baker’s yeast in slightly warm milk.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or bread machine, or a large bowl if making by hand), combine the flour and sugar.
- Mix the milk-yeast mixture with the 2 beaten eggs and the zest or orange blossom water. Pour this into the flour and mix for 2 minutes.
- Add the salt, then the softened butter cut into pieces, and knead for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth and no longer sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature until it triples in volume. Ideally, place it in a warm spot (I personally use my oven's proofing function at 40°C, and it works great).
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down to remove the air (this is called "degassing" the dough). Shape it into a ball, then use your thumb to create a hole in the center. Widen the hole with your hands to form a crown. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and gently shape it into a nice, even crown with a hole of at least 10 cm in the middle. Don’t forget to hide a feve (charm) inside!
- Let the dough rise a second time for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Beat a whole egg with a pinch of salt (to liquefy the egg) and use a brush to coat the brioche. For a darker glaze, use only the egg yolk with 1 tbsp of water.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
- When out of the oven, glaze the brioche with apricot jam (heat the jam in the microwave for 30 seconds with 1 tbsp of water to make it more liquid and easier to spread). Decorate with pieces of candied fruits and pearl sugar. You can sprinkle the pearl sugar on the crown before baking; it will stick with the egg glaze.