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New Orleans King's Cake

Ingredients & Directions


2 pk Active dry yeast
2 ts Granulated sugar
1/2 c Lukewarm water
4 1/2 c All purpose flour
1/2 c Granulated sugar
2 ts Salt
1 ts Ground nutmeg
1/2 c Lukewarm milk
1 ts Grated lemon peel
5 Egg yolks
1/2 c Butter; cut into small
-pieces
2 tb Butter; divided
1 Dried red kidney bean; or
-pecan half, or small
-plastic baby.
1 Egg; beaten with 1 T. milk
Additional butter for top of
-cake
Sugar tinted green; yellow,
-and purple., (see other
-recipes)

Sprinkle yeast and 2 T sugar over lukewarm water. Let soften. Stir, then
let sit about 10 minutes, until light and bubbly. Mix 3 1/2 cups of flour,
1/2 cup sugar, salt and nutmeg well. Add yeast mixture, milk and lemon
peel. Work mixture together well with an electric mixer or by hand. Add egg
yolks and beat in well. Work in 1/2 cup butter and continue to beat until
butter is incorporated and mixture is smooth.

Either chane to a dough hook, or turn dough out on floured board and knead
until smooth and elastic, working in remaining 1 cup flour gradually. Dough
will not be sticky when ready.

Butter a bowl with 1 T butter; put in ball of dough and turn to coat all
sides. Cover with a towel, put in a draft-free place and let rise until
double in bulk, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Brush baking sheet with remaining 1 T butter. Turn dough out on floured
board and form into a roll about 14 or 15 inches long. (This can be done
with the hands). Put roll on prepared baking sheet and form into a ring or
oval shape, pressing ends together to seal. Push bean or baby or nut into
the cake from the bottom so that it is not visible from the top. Cover with
a towel and put in draft-free, warm place to rise until double in size, 45
minutes to an hour.

Brush top of cake with egg-milk wash. Bake in middle of a preheated 375
degree oven until brown…about 25 minutes. Slide cake onto wire rack to
cool.

Butter top of cooled cake, spread colored sugars over top of cake, using
each color to form bands of green, yellow, purple.


Yields
1 Servings