King Cake: La Rosca de Reyes

Serves	12 to 16
Prep time	24 hours
Cook time	40 minutes
Total time	24 hours, 40 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Milk, Wheat
Dietary	Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly, Freezable, Gourmet, Serve Cold, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party
Region	Spanish
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

La Rosca de Reyes or Roscón de Reyes is a Spanish and Latin American king’s cake, similar to French brioche or Italian Panettone, traditionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany on the 6thJanuary.This recipe will feed 12 to 16 people of varying ages and appetites. Don’t forget to add your little trinket or a dried bean is also traditional.

Ingredients

Bread/Cake

450g strong white bread flour
75g caster sugar
½ teaspoon salt
75g softened butter
2 large free-range eggs, or 3 medium free-range eggs
1 x 7g easy blend yeast sachets
150ml milk, tepid
Zest of 2 lemons
Zest of 2 clementines or 2 small oranges

Decoration and Topping

75g softened butter
75g icing sugar
100g plain white flour
1 to 2 tablespoons orange flower/blossom water to mix
100g candied fruits and nuts, such as cherries, peel and whole almonds

Note

Directions

Step 1	Place the dried ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attached and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Then increase the speed to medium and mix for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is shiny and very elastic. Alternatively, knead by hand for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2	Allow to prove overnight in a cool but not cold place, covered with oiled Clingfilm and a clean tea towel.
Step 3	Take the dough out of the bowl and cut into 3 even sized pieces; roll them into balls and then roll them into long sausage shapes, this can be done by throwing the dough on to the table! (Make sure you are working on a floured surface) Insert the trinket or dried bean into one sausage, and then lay them on the floured board and plait them, before making a ring and joining them together with a little flour and water.
Step 4	Place the plaited ring on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, and then make the topping.
Step 5	Mix the butter, icing sugar and flour together and then add the orange flower water to make a stiff paste. Decorate the Rosca de Reyes by spooning the topping on in segments around the ring and placing candied fruit and nuts in-between. Cover and allow to prove for 1 hour, or until the ring has nearly doubled in size.
Step 6	Bake in a pre-heated oven 160 C Fan/180C/Gas Mark 4 for 30 to 40 minutes; the cake is ready when it is golden brown, well risen, and sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Allow to cool on a wire rack before eating at room temperate and warning your guests about the trinket or dried bean!