# King Cake



## VeraBlue (Jan 27, 2008)

Day 1
Brioche ingredients

1 envelope active dry yeast
2T warm water
1t salt
2T granulated sugar
1/4 c milk
2t orange zest
2c AP flour (I like to use bread flour, use it if you have it)
1t cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg beaten with 2T water for eggwash
1 plastic baby trinket, or large dry bean or coin

Method
Dissolve the yeast  in the water in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. (till frothy).  Dissolve the salt, sugar, orange zest and milk in a small bowl.  When completely dissolved, add this mixture to the yeast mixture.  In another bowl, combine the cinnamon with the flour.  With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and then slowly add the flour, until it's well blended.  Switch to the dough hook.  Knead on low for 10 minutes or until a smooth elastic dough is formed.  Add more flour if necessary.  With the motor running, add the butter, a little at a time, only adding the next piece when the previous one is completely incorporated.  Turn the dough into an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for an hour in a warm spot.  When it's doubled, punch it down, cover and refrigerate it, overnight.

Day Two

Roll dough to a 6x18 rectangle.  Spread pecan filling (recipe follows) out in the middle of the rectangle along the entire length, leaving almost two inches on each side.  Place the baby trinket somewhere in the filling.  Fold the length of the dough over the filling, and roll up tightly, leaving the seam side down.  Turn the roll into a circle, seam side down, melding the two ends so it appears a continuous circle.   Apply eggwash. Loosely cover, and let rise about 45 minutes.  Preheat the oven at this time to 350.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

When cake cools, brush with some the glaze (recipes follows), thinned out with some cold water.  This will help the sugars adhere.  Decorate the cake with alternating patches of yellow, green and purple sugar.  Drizzle some of the thicker glaze over the coloured sugar.

Pecan filling
1c pecans, chopped and slightly roasted till fragrant
2/3 c brown sugar
1t pure vanilla
1t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
pinch salt
4T corn syrup
Combine all ingredients.

Glaze
1/2 c 10X
1T bourbon
water (enough to make a paste that can be drizzled...personally, I just use the bourbon)
Combine all ingredients.

laissez le bon temps roulle!


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## Alix (Jan 27, 2008)

YUM! Vera, why is this a Mardi Gras tradition? Do you know?


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## VeraBlue (Jan 27, 2008)

it's to honour the three kings that arrived in bethlehem to see the baby, jesus.  The colours represent the colours of the kings.  Whoever gets the baby in their slice has to host the next king cake party.  (or choke to death, if not forewarned about the toy....)


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## Katie H (Jan 27, 2008)

VeraBlue said:


> it's to honour the three kings that arrived in bethlehem to see the baby, jesus.  The colours represent the colours of the kings.  Whoever gets the baby in their slice has to host the next king cake party.  (or choke to death, if not forewarned about the toy....)



To add to Vera's explanation, the colors (purple, green, gold) represent justice, faith and power.


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## Alix (Jan 27, 2008)

Very cool. Thank you for the explanation. So Vera, did you get the baby last year or are you just in the mood to start a party tradition?


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## Maverick2272 (Jan 27, 2008)

Someone else on here was looking for a King Cake recipe the other day, I have them the one we use, but yours sounds yummier! I will definitely have to give it a try, thanks!


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## VeraBlue (Jan 27, 2008)

Alix said:


> Very cool. Thank you for the explanation. So Vera, did you get the baby last year or are you just in the mood to start a party tradition?



Ha!  I never ever get the baby


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## Uncle Bob (Jan 27, 2008)

VeraBlue said:


> Ha! I never ever get the baby


 
Leave the baby out until after you bake the cake. Make a small slit and insert da baby. When you ice the cake, make a little special spot (peak) on the icing that only you know about. Then you can determine who gets da baby!


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## VeraBlue (Jan 28, 2008)

Sneaky, Uncle Bob....but that reminds me of what the birthday fairy does for every birthday cake in my family.  Somehow, the first slice, the one that always goes to the birthday person, has a dollar bill baked into it


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