Be it New Orleans or Mardi Gras, you're bound to come across this cake at some point amidst the celebration. But are you prepared for what it contains? And if you're the lucky (or unlucky) individual the cake chooses, will you face the consequences? Or just swallow them whole?
King Cake is definitely one of the more unusual items on this list. Louisiana is known for its fair share of signature desserts, from beignets to bananas foster. So, why choose the king cake? Not only does it highlight the state's french influence, but it also reveals the diversity that is contained in the history of New Orleans. And having come from the Catholic celebration of the Epiphany and leading into Mardi Gras, this dessert has taken on different forms around the globe. What unifies most of the king cakes around the world is what's inside. And if you're the one to find the token, you'd either be royalty or clearing your schedule for the next Mardi Gras because guess what, you're hosting it.
New Orleans King Cake
(Dough) (Filling) (Icing) (Assembly)
Dough:
1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Colored sparkling sugar (green, gold, and purple)
Instructions:
Place warm milk in a large bowl. Crack in both eggs and Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved. Add the sugar, nutmeg, and salt.
Add the flour and mix to form a shaggy dough, then add the butter and knead until combined.
Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, (about 1 hour).
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 30- by 9-inch rectangle.
Brush with melted butter; then sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, leaving 1/2 inch blank on the bottom.
Beginning at long end, roll up tightly and pinch the seam to seal. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the roll in half lengthwise; carefully turn halves so that the cut sides face up. Twist halves together, keeping cut sides up so the filling is visible.
Transfer the dough to greased or lined baking sheet and shape into a ring, pinching the ends together to seal.
Cover with greased plastic and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 20 to 40 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F
Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Mix all icing ingredients together until smooth, if there are lumps, gently heat the icing in the microwave and whisk until smooth.
Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, and add colored sprinkling sugar in alternating patterns. Cut, serve, and enjoy!
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