King's Day

The queens and kings of Ploubazlanec

The Day of the Kings - activities

The Day of the Kings (6th January) in France

In France we eat the "Galette des Rois": it's made with two flaky pastry and between them we put almond paste and a charm of course!

The one who gets the charm receives a crown, chooses a queen (or a king if it's a girl!) and gives the crown to the queen (or king).

So it is! At school, they eat the 'galette' and create some crowns and decorate some 'galettes'.

Servane Boulanger (France)

New Year Carols "As Janeiras"

Vamos Cantar as Janeiras

Vamos cantar as Janeiras,
Vamos cantar as Janeiras.

Por toda a escola vamos,
Sem fazermos asneiras.
Por toda a escola vamos,
Sem fazermos asneiras.

Felizes somos crianças,
Felizes somos crianças.

Vamos ter muitos, muitos anos…
Para andar nestas andanças.
Vamos ter muitos, muitos anos…
Para andar nestas andanças.

Hoje é o dia seis,
Hoje é o dia seis.

Vamos todos juntos cantar.
Neste dia de Reis…
Vamos todos juntos cantar.
Neste dia de Reis…

King Cake

King Cake (Bolo-Rei)

2 small or 1 large cake

100 grs crystallized cherries (or candied peel), chopped

50 grs raisins

50 grs pine nuts

1/2 glass Oporto Wine

600 grs (4 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

125 ml (about 1/2 cup) warm water

2 tea spoon dry yeast

1 tea spoon salt

1 tea spoon vanilla extract

100 grs (1/4 cup) caster sugar

100 grs butter (3/4 cup), softened

3 eggs

Topping

12 crystallized cherries

50 grs raisins and pine nuts (or candied peel)

2 soap spoon light brown sugar

2 soap spoon water(remaining Oporto Wine)

milk to glaze
icing sugar for decoration

Soak chopped cherries, raisins and pine nuts in Oporto Wine, at least for 6 hours (or best overnight).

Dissolve the yeast in 125ml of tepid water and leave for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour with salt - make a well in center of flour and pour in dissolved yeast. Gently fold some of surrounding flour into pool of yeast to form a soft paste in center of well. Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar with vanilla extract. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Incorporate butter mixture into flour mixture and continue bringing in sides to form a soft dough. Knead the dough well, it should be smooth and elastic. Add macerated fruits and knead to distribute evenly. Smother the dough in a little flour and cover with a clean cloth. Place bowl in a warm draft free area, and let rise until doubled in size, for about 1 hour.

Once dough has doubled, punch down and let rest for 5 minutes. If you're making 2 small cakes (like me), divide into 2 equal parts. Using your fingers, open a hole in the centre of each ball. Cover with a towel, let rise again for another hour, until doubled in size. Glaze the dough with milk and arrange the crystallized cherries, raisins and pine nuts on top of the ring (push raisins and pine nuts a bit, so they won't fall as the dough rises). Bake at 180ºC for 45-50 minutes or until golden.

Place remaining Oporto Wine in a small sauce pan and add a little water and sugar, mix over stove until incorporated and a bit liquid, so it is easy to brush on finished ring. After removing the cake from the oven, gently brush top and sides with this mixture. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Queen Cake

Click on the image to enlarge Here it's ours cakes to celebrate Three Kings Day!

Queen Cake (Bolo-Rainha)

2 small or 1 large cake
100 grs walnuts
50 grs whole almonds
50 grs whole hazelnuts
600 grs (4 cups) all-purpose flour
125 ml (about 1/2 cup) whole milk
2 tea spoon dry yeast
1 tea spoon
165 grs (3/4 cup) golden caster sugar
100 grs butter (3/4 cup), softened
3 large eggs

Topping
24 walnut halves
bunch of almonds or/and hazelnuts
2 soap spoon light brown sugar
2 soap spoon water
milk to glaze
icing sugar for decoration

Dissolve the yeast in 125ml of tepid milk and leave for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the flour with salt - make a well in center of flour and pour in dissolved yeast. Gently fold some of surrounding flour into pool of yeast to form a soft paste in center of well. Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Incorporate butter mixture into flour mixture and continue bringing in sides to form a soft dough. Knead the dough well, it should be smooth and elastic. Add nuts and knead to distribute evenly. Smother the dough in a little flour and cover with a clean cloth. Place bowl in a warm draft free area, and let rise until doubled in size, for about 1 hour.

Once dough has doubled, punch down and let rest for 5 minutes. If you're making 2 small cakes (like me), divide into 2 equal parts. Using your fingers, open a hole in the centre of each ball. (You can insert a floured glass to prevent sticking - that will keep the hole open) Cover with a towel, let rise again for another hour, until doubled in size. (Remove the glass, if using one) Glaze the dough with milk and arrange the nuts on top of the ring (push nuts a bit, so they won't fall as the dough rises whilst baking). Bake at 180ºC for 45-50 minutes or until golden.

Place water and sugar in a small saucepan, mix over stove until incorporated and a bit liquid, so it is easy to brush on finished cakes. After removing the cake from the oven, gently brush top and sides with this mixture.

The Day of the Kings

In Portugal, we celebrate the 'Day of The Kings' (Epiphany), on January 6, is called “Dia dos Reis” (day of the kings). This day is sometimes known as the “Dia dos Reis Magos” (The day of the Royal Magi).

According to the Bible, it's the day when a group of Kings or Magi, arrived to worship and bring three highly symbolic gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh) to the baby Jesus after following a star in the heavens.

Apart from deep religious meanings, it's a moving sharing moment.

The King Cake “Bolo Rei” is traditionally served on this day but also very popular throughout the Christmas season.

Between 25 December and 6 January, tradition has it that people should go out into the street to sing the “Janeiras” (New Year Carols), reviewing the most important events of the year, with a spirit of happiness and great humour.

In the Algarve, groups of local inhabitants challenge householders to listen to their verses, in exchange for which they receive the traditional alms: either one of the seasonal sweet fritters or a glass of brandy. Another of the Algarve’s traditions is to be found in the groups of “charola” singers, who sing their songs to God in his Infant form, with rhyming verses alluding to the birth of Jesus Christ and the Three Royal Magi.

We've made and offer our "Queen Cake", and sang a traditional song to the other classes.