# It's that time of year,   King Cake Time



## alblancher (Jan 13, 2012)

I am following a traditional recipe for this Mardi Gras favorite.  The King cake is basically a Brioche dough flavored with cinnamon, sugar and almond extract.   Historically a coin or small ceramic doll was hidden in the King Cake and presented to the Dukes and Maids at the Mardi Gras Krewe's ball.  The Dukes and Maids of the Krewe would select a slice with the person selecting the slice with the trinket being named  that year's King and Queen

The colored sugars are important with Purple signifying Justice, Green  Faith and Gold Power.:








the bowl to the left is 1/2 oz yeast dissolved in 1 1/2 cups warm water and 1 t sugar.  The yeast is allowed to proof

The bowl to the bottom left is 2 beaten eggs and 3/4 c  melted butter

In the mixer is 1/2 c sugar, 5 cups flour, 1/2 c milk powder, and 2 t salt.  The dry ingredients are sifted and combined 

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Slowly add the yeast and eggs/butter to the dry ingredients and mix with a dough hook on low speed until the dough pulls away cleanly from the mixing bowl. 8 - 9 minutes  You may need to add additional flour if the dough is sticky.







Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and transfer to a well buttered stainless steel bowl.  Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours depending on yeast and temperature

After the dough has risen transfer it to a well floured surface and roll out to approximately 18 x 21 rectangle







Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with white sugar and cinnamon.   







Slice the dough into 3 strips approximately  6 x 21 inches.  Roll the strips to trap the sugar and cinnamon inside, slightly flatten and braid







Form a ring







Brush with an egg wash and return to rise a second time until almost double in size







Lightly brush a second time with egg wash and move to a 350 degree preheated oven.  Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the cake is cooked through.  There is so much butter in this cake that I find I have to lay a piece of foil on top and reduce the heat to 300 to prevent burning and to allow the center of the cake to finish cooking

Allow the cake to cool to the touch on a wire cooling rack.  While the cake is baking you can prepare your glaze and sugars

To prepare the glaze add 2 lbs of confectioners sugar to the mixer bowl and with a paddle blade begin mixing the sugar, add a pinch of salt, 1 T almond extract and about 3/4 c of water,  Add the water very slowly, too much water and you end up with soup instead of glaze.  The traditional recipe I was following called for 3 T of cinnamon to be added to the glaze.  This accounts for it's brown, almost chocolate color

To prepare the sugars  combine a couple of drops of the appropriate food coloring to dry granulated sugar and shake vigorously.  I used canning jars and screw lids.  Add the coloring several drops at a time until you get the desired depth of color.  Be careful not to add too much liquid food coloring or you will end up with a putty type consistency.

Drizzle the glaze on the warm cake and sprinkle the sugars on top alternating colors.













The traditional King cakes are being replaced with modern concoctions of cakes with a great variety of fillings.  Apple, cherry,cream cheese, chocolate pie filling are piped into the cooling cake.  Delicious but not traditional  You can have a white glaze by eliminating the cinnamon that went into the glaze.  The white glaze shows of the colored sugars.

Thanks for looking,  hope you enjoy looking at it as much as we enjoy eating it.  Oh and by the way, I don't claim to be a baker!

Al


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## sprky (Jan 13, 2012)

For not being a baker it


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## cecil (Jan 14, 2012)

Great looking King Cake Al. It's terrible to be diabetic and living in Louisiana. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Made my blood sugar rise to about 600 just looking at the

pictures.


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## big andy a (Jan 14, 2012)

Nice looking cake and great photos.  I like you keeping a tradition alive.

Curt.


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## boykjo (Jan 14, 2012)

Way cool Al...... Looks awesome and I bet it tasted as good as it looked...... I'll have a cup of coffee with my slice.......

Joe


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## SmokinAl (Jan 14, 2012)

It sure looks cool & I bet it tastes wonderful!

Awesome job there Al!


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## eman (Jan 14, 2012)

Don't really care for cinnamon but i have to have a few slices of king cake every year before mardi gras.

that one looks great Al.


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## BGKYSmoker (Jan 14, 2012)

DAT

IS AWESOME

MY ADDRESS IS BEING MESSAGED TO YOU


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 14, 2012)

Seen 'em, never made 'em...Got to give this a shot...Nice Job!...JJ


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## africanmeat (Jan 14, 2012)

this is a great cake will go good with my Coffe in the morning i showed  to my wife


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