King Cake Recipe

Origin: European      Period: Traditional

King Cake, also known as Twelfth Night Cake and Rosóa de Reyes (Spain), Gateau des Rois or Galette des Rois (France), Bolo Rei (Portugal), Tortell (Cataonia), Vasilopita (Greece) and Banitsa (Bulgaria) is one of the European Christmas cakes par excellence. The French brought it to the Americas where it is used to celebrate Carnival season. In Europe the cake honours the three Wise Men, specifically the feast of Twelfth Night, also known as Epiphany and Three Kings Day. The recipe descends from ancient Arabic antecedents and a prize or bean is often inserted into the cake. This practice is pre-Christian and derives from Roman midwinter practices.

Ingredients:

For the Cake

750g plain flour
30g baker's yeast
150g butter
150g caster sugar
150g crystallized fruit, roughly chopped.
150g dried fruit & nuts (pine nuts & walnuts).
4 eggs
finely-grated zest of 1 lemon
finely-grated zest of 1 orange
100ml Port wine
1 teaspoon salt

For the Decoration

1 egg yolk
Large pieces of/whole crystallized fruits
Handful pine nuts & halved walnuts
2/3 crushed sugar cubes / sugar crystals

King Cake Preparation:

Method:

Combine the chopped crystallized fruit and dried fruit with the port. Allow to soak for several hours. Meanwhile dissolve the yeast in 100ml tepid water to which a little sugar has been added. Add 180g of flour to this, mix well, then allow to raise in a warm spot for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugar with the zest from the lemon and orange. Add the eggs one by one to this mixture, beating well after each addition. Add the yeast and flour mixture to this and when thoroughly combined slowly add the remaining flour and the salt. Combine all the ingredients to form a dough and knead well. The dough should be smooth and elastic. However, if it's a little too stiff add some warm milk.

Macerate the fruit and nuts into the port and add this to the dough. Form into a ball then smother the dough in flour and cover with a clean cloth. Put in a warm place to rise for about 5 hours (it should double in size).

When well risen knock the dough back and form into a flattened ball and place on a greased baking tary. Form a hole in the centre of the dough and place an empty jam jar in the gap (this makes sure that the dough forms a ring during cooking). Glaze the dough with an egg yolk and arrange the crystallized fruit on top of the ring by gently pushing into the dough. Finally sprinkle the top of the dough with nuts and crushed sugar. Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 40 minutes, or until firm and golden. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

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