Mardi Gras King's Cake

By mitzzy

Starting on the twelfth day after Christmas, king's cake parties continue until the day before the first day of Lent - Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras). The New Orleans style king's cake is brightly decorated with traditional Mardi Gras colors. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. Laissez le bon temps rouler - enjoy.

Ingredients

• 5 teaspoons yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest - finely minced
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter - in small pieces
• (plus) 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 dried bean, 1 pecan half, or 1 plastic baby (from a novelty store)
• egg wash
• additional butter for top of cake
• tinted sugar (*)

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, stir yeast, water and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let stand and allow yeast to swell for a few minutes. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Mix well (an electric mixer works well for this) then add egg yolks. Work in butter pieces and continue to beat until butter is incoporated and mixture is smooth.

Begin kneading (use a dough hook or by hand), until dough is smooth and elastic, working in the remaining cup of flour as required. Kneading in the butter will seem odd but it works out eventually - it takes a bit of time for the dough to accept the butter. The dough should be smooth - not sticky. Knead 6 to 10 minutes (gently by hand, or on slow speed of mixer).

Place dough in a lightly buttered bowl and place the entire affair in a plastic bag and loosely seal. Allow to rise until almost doubled (45 to 90 minutes - a cool rise is fine for this).

Gently deflate dough. Brush work surface with some butter and form dough into a roll about 15 inches long. Form roll into a ring shape, pressing ends to seal, and place on a parchment- lined baking sheet. Push bean, pecan, or plastic baby into the cake from the bottom so it is not visible. Place the entire baking sheet in a large plastic bag. Let rise again until doubled (45 to 60 minutes).

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Brush top of cake with egg wash. Bake until golden brown - about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Apply some butter to top of cake and then sprinkle on the sugars, using a separate color to cover one third of the cake.

(*) To tint sugar: Place about one cup of sugar in a bowl and knead or stir in food coloring (coloring pastes are best). You may also do this in a food processor. Save leftovers for Christmas baking