Gâteau Pithiviers

Gâteau Pithiviers, named for a town just south of Paris, dates back at least two hundred years. It is instantly recognizable by its scalloped edges and domed center, marked with curved slashes to resemble the petals of a flower. On Twelfth Night (January 6), the same gâteau becomes galette des rois, a reference to the Three Kings. In the past, the gâteau was studded with a dried kidney bean, and the lucky recipient became lord of the feast. Today, pottery shops sell painted charms to bake i