Genuine Galette des Rois

We’re all familiar with the Louisiana king cake, but many of us are less familiar with the Galette des Rois, the pastry from which our own beloved seasonal treat derives. Unlike our circular sweet cakes, the Galette des Rois is sometimes square, with layers of flaky puff pastry and a dense center of frangipane or marzipan. But the tiny plastic figure—formerly a bean—embedded in the dessert, to determine who is king of the feast, will remind you of the king cake baby. Fortunately, you don’t have to fly to France to sample this king of the king cakes, as a couple of local bakeries are rolling out their own versions. Forte Grove artisan bakers, who make their presence known at the Red Stick Farmers Market each Saturday morning, are rolling out the Rois this week, as are the bakers at Strands Café, who add a touch of apricot and dark chocolate ganache to their royal concoctions.