King Cake Traditional New Orleans Food

KING CAKE TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS RECIPE

Steps:

• Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl, and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it.
• Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for three minutes then mix thoroughly.
• Set bowl in a warm place, for ten minutes or until yeast bubbles up and mixture almost doubles up in volume.
• Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt, and sift into a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in lemon zest.
• Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk.
• Add egg yolks and using a wooden spoon slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture.
• When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.
• Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread.
• During this kneading, add up to 1 cup more of flour (1 tablespoon at a time) sprinkled over the dough.
• When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one tablespoon softened butter.
• Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered.
• Cover bowl with a moderately thick kitchen towel and place in a draft free spot for about 1-½ hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.
• Using a pastry brush, coat a large baking sheet with one tablespoon of butter and set aside.
• Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured surface.
• Using you fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow.
• Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and shake dough into a cylinder.
• Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet.
• Pinch the ends together to complete the circle.
• Cover dough with towel and set it in draft free spot for 45 minutes until the circle of dough doubles in volume.
• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
• Place cake on wire rack to cool.
• If desired, at this time, you can"hide" the plastic baby in the cake.
• Colored sugars------------------.
• Squeeze a dot of green paste in palm of hand.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sugar over the paste and rub together quickly.
• Place this mixture on wax paper and wash hands to remove color.
• Repeat process for other two colors.
• Place aside.
• Icing------------------.
• Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons water until smooth.
• If icing is too stiff, add more water until spreadable.
• Spread icing over top of cake.
• Immediately sprinkle the colored sugars in individual rows consisting of about two rows of green, purple and yellow.
• Cake is served in 2"- 3" pieces.

TRADITIONAL NEW ORLEANS KING CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 cup sugar, butter, milk, egg yolks, salt, lemon zest, nutmeg and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky)., Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 16x10-in. rectangle. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over dough to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Brush with egg., Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cake. Sprinkle with colored sugars.

TRADITIONAL KING CAKE

Steps:

• Cook the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts; set aside and cool mixture to 100-110°.
• Stir the yeast, ½ cup warm water, and 1 tablespoons sugar in a 1 cup glass measuring cup; let mixture stand 5 minutes.
• Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until smooth.
• Decrease speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4-4 ½ cups) until a soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
• Punch down dough, and divide in half.
• Roll each portion into a 22x12 inch rectangle.
• Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border.
• Stir ½ cup sugar and cinnamon together; sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.
• Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side.
• Place 1 dough roll seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet; bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal.
• Repeat with second dough roll.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, 20-30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Bake in a 375° oven for 14-16 minutes or until golden.
• Make glaze: stir together the first 4 glaze ingredients; stir in 2 tablespoons milk, adding more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency.
• Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes).
• Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes, sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands; let cool completely.