The Roscon de Reyes is the traditional Spanish king cake that is eaten on the day of the arrival of the Three Wise Men and usually hides little toys for kids! Find this and many more recipes with pictures on the Giallozafferano App (in English) http://itunes.apple.com/app/giallozafferano-recipes/id384387249?mt=8
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The three wise men must have been very hungry after all that wandering… that’s why in Spain they make the Roscon de Reyes, a delicious king cake that hides little toys for kids, or a black or white bean: whoever finds it has to pay the next roscon… let’s see how to make it!
Roscon de Reyes
(for 12 servings)
• 4 1/3 cups (600 g) of cake flour + as needed for the pastry board
• ½ oz (15 g) of fresh yeast or ½ tbsp (5 g) of active dry yeast
• ½ cup (100 g) of softened butter
• 2/3 cup (130 g) of white sugar
• just under 1 cup (220 ml) of slightly warm milk
• 2 medium eggs
• the grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 pinch of salt
For garnishing
• 2 tbsp of heavy cream
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ oz (15 g) of candied fruit
• powdered sugar, to taste
First of all, crumble the fresh yeast into a small bowl… add a little milk… stir to dissolve… and set aside. Now put the sifted flour in the bowl of a stand mixer… then break 2 eggs into a large bowl… add the sugar… and beat with an electric beater until nice and frothy. That’s it… now turn on the mixer… at a medium speed… and beat in the yeast mixture… the remaining milk… and the egg and sugar mixture. Once the ingredients have come together, replace the paddle with the dough hook. It’s time to add the rest of the ingredients, but before that replace the paddle attachment with the dough hook. Turn it on again… and beat in the grated orange zest… the salt and, lastly, the softened butter, one piece at a time… don’t add more butter until the previous addition has been incorporated.
Well, the dough is ready, adding all the butter took about 15-20 minutes, as you can see it’s wrapped around the hook, so it’s kneaded to perfection. Now remove the dough from the hook, place on a work surface and knead briefly to form a ball of dough. So dust with just a little flour, as you can see it’s nice and elastic, and not sticky at all… then bring the dough together into a ball in this way, place in a bowl, cover with cling film and let it rise for about 4 hours, until doubled in size, in a warm place free from drafts… here we are.
This is the risen dough, now turn it out onto a work surface… knead briefly… then shape into a ring, so punch a hole in the centre… stretch it out in this way… then place on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper… brush with an egg yolk, that has been beaten with 2 tablespoons of cream… then decorate with the candied fruit. Start with the cherries… perhaps push down a bit so they won’t fall off… the citron… inwards rather than outwards, to prevent it from falling off when the cake is rising… then let it rise for at least 2 hours in a warm place, like the turned off oven with the light on. Until doubled in volume, of course.
And here’s our beautiful risen cake, now I’ll add the candied orange peel, without pushing down or it will deflate, that is my favourite, then bake the king cake in a static oven at 350°F (180°C) for at least 30 minutes.
The Roscon de Reyes is ready, sprinkle with powdered sugar, then all you have to do is wait for the magi and their presents, I did my best to draw them here… see you next videorecipe!