KINGS' CROWN BREAD "out of beas kitchen"
(Rosca de Reyes)
Kings' Crown is a rich sweet yeast bread, enjoyed by children of all ages. The cake, topped with strips of sweet candied pumpkin and fruit pastes and colored sugars, contains at least one small figure symbolizing the Christ Child. The cake is ritually cut and the lucky one to find the China doll is King of the day and head of the family.
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 c. tepid water
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lime peel
1/3 c. scalded milk
3 eggs
5 c. flour 1/2 c. melted butter
2/3 c. chopped candied cactus
1/2 c. glazed orange peel
(biznaga)
(see Index)
1 China doll 2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. water
yellow, green and red food coloringcandied maraschino cherries
(optional)
nuts candied pumpkin (optional)
Soften yeast in tepid water along with 1 tablespoon sugar. Add remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, grated lime rind and scalded milk cooled to lukewarm. Beat in eggs. Stir in 2 cups sifted flour and beat batter until it falls in a sheet from a spoon. Add melted butter and chopped glazed orange peel. Mix well together with the addition of 2 more cups of sifted flour. Turn out on a slightly floured board. Knead in the remaining 1 cup of sifted flour. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and satiny, no longer sticky and comes off hands easily. Turn into a greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise in warm place until double in volume for about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Cover with towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Place a foil wrapped China doll (not plastic) or bean in 1 portion of dough. Roll each portion of dough into strips 30 inches long. Braid strips. Shape into an oval or ring on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until double in size. Decorate with jewels of candied pumpkin, maraschino cherries and whole nuts. Bake in oven at 180 C for 30 minutes until golden. Cool on rack. Combine sifted powdered sugar with lime juice and water to glaze baked cake. Mix well and divide into 3 equal parts. Color each part of powdered sugar mix with yellow, green and red food coloring. Frost each braid with a different color.
(Rosca de Reyes)
Kings' Crown is a rich sweet yeast bread, enjoyed by children of all ages. The cake, topped with strips of sweet candied pumpkin and fruit pastes and colored sugars, contains at least one small figure symbolizing the Christ Child. The cake is ritually cut and the lucky one to find the China doll is King of the day and head of the family.
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 c. tepid water
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. grated lime peel
1/3 c. scalded milk
3 eggs
5 c. flour 1/2 c. melted butter
2/3 c. chopped candied cactus
1/2 c. glazed orange peel
(biznaga)
(see Index)
1 China doll 2 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. water
yellow, green and red food coloringcandied maraschino cherries
(optional)
nuts candied pumpkin (optional)
Soften yeast in tepid water along with 1 tablespoon sugar. Add remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, grated lime rind and scalded milk cooled to lukewarm. Beat in eggs. Stir in 2 cups sifted flour and beat batter until it falls in a sheet from a spoon. Add melted butter and chopped glazed orange peel. Mix well together with the addition of 2 more cups of sifted flour. Turn out on a slightly floured board. Knead in the remaining 1 cup of sifted flour. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and satiny, no longer sticky and comes off hands easily. Turn into a greased bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise in warm place until double in volume for about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough and divide into 3 equal portions. Cover with towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Place a foil wrapped China doll (not plastic) or bean in 1 portion of dough. Roll each portion of dough into strips 30 inches long. Braid strips. Shape into an oval or ring on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until double in size. Decorate with jewels of candied pumpkin, maraschino cherries and whole nuts. Bake in oven at 180 C for 30 minutes until golden. Cool on rack. Combine sifted powdered sugar with lime juice and water to glaze baked cake. Mix well and divide into 3 equal parts. Color each part of powdered sugar mix with yellow, green and red food coloring. Frost each braid with a different color.
