King Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp butter

2-1/4 tsp yeast

1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2-3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup melted butter

1 plastic baby token or a little bean

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tbsp water

Directions

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tbsp of the white sugar.  Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

3. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture.  Whisk in the eggs.  Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt, and nutmeg.  Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time.  When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil.  Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.  When risen, punch down.

5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

6. To make filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped nuts, and flour.  Pour melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.

7. Roll dough out into a large rectangle (approximately 10x16 inches).  Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side.  Bring the ends of the roll together to form an oval-shaped ring. 

8. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet.  With scissors, make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1-inch intervals.  Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Push the doll into the bottom of the cake.  Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1-2 tablespoons of water.

Notes

This cake is a tradition in many other countries, eaten on the eve of Epiphany at a party with friends.  It tastes like a giant cinnamon roll and is very good.  I first had it while in the Azores as a teenager.  The tradition is that whoever finds the piece with a baby in it is king for the night.

Source

allrecipes.com