Twelfth Night

Tomorrow it will be the Feast of the Epiphany, and in France there will be millions of gallets des rois served, eaten and enjoyed. Gallets des rois, is a sort of almondy tart which is traditionally served in France, hidden in it is a fève, a little figure or just a bean and the person who finds it in their slice wears a crown for the rest of the day.

Here in Britain, we no longer celebrate Twelfth Night, and seem to have forgotten all about it apart from taking down the Christmas decorations, and the play by Shakespeare. There used to be great fun, high jinks and dancing, and that was why the play was written, to be performed as part of the Twelfth Night celebration. Wassail (hot spiced cider punch) was drunk all over the Christmas period but especially on Twelfth Night, and, like the French, we ate a special cake with a bean in it – whoever found it ruled the feast!. I’m never quite sure when it is, the 5th or 6th of January, but we take down the lights, cards, tree and decorations on the 6th. Wassail is not only a drink, but going wassailing is a custom still carried out here in the west, where apple growers go round their cider orchards, singing to the trees and drinking toasts to them to ensure a good harvest in the autumn.

500g/1lb 2oz ready-made butter puff pastry

100g/4oz ground almonds

75g/3oz sugar

50g/2oz soft butter

1 egg (keep a little of the yolk)

• Divide the pastry in two parts; roll each out into a circle about 9in/23cm across. Preheat the oven to 210C/410F/Gas 7.

• Mix the almonds, sugar, butter and egg to a smooth paste.

• Place the first circle of pastry on a baking tray and spread the paste evenly across. Insert a fève – a little figurine or a dried bean.

• Dampen the edge of the first disc and lay the second on top and press down with a fork or finger tips. Glaze the top with the egg yolk (or a little milk); decorate with a knife (traditionally a leaf patternbut you can doa criss-cross design if you like… or anything else you want!).

• Bake for 30 minutes until golden. Serve slightly warm (5 minutes at 180C/350F/Gas 4 if reheating).

And here is a lovely poem by Robert Herrick, published in 1648,

Twelve Night,or King and Queen,

by Robert Herrick

NOW, now the mirth comes
With the cake full of plums,
Where bean’s the king of the sport here ;
Beside we must know,
The pea also
Must revel, as queen, in the court here.

Begin then to choose,
This night as ye use,
Who shall for the present delight here,
Be a king by the lot,
And who shall not
Be Twelfth-day queen for the night here.

Which known, let us make
Joy-sops with the cake ;
And let not a man then be seen here,
Who unurg’d will not drink
To the base from the brink
A health to the king and queen here.

Next crown a bowl full
With gentle lamb’s wool :
Add sugar, nutmeg, and ginger,
With store of ale too ;
And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger.

Give then to the king
And queen wassailing :
And though with ale ye be whet here,
Yet part from hence
As free from offence
As when ye innocent met here.