This recipe is courtesy the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute.
NOCHI’s King Cake
Ingredients:
Cinnamon Filing:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. 1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 egg (reserve half of the egg for the dough).
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Dough:
2 1/2 cups bread flour
3/4 tsp. Instant or rapid rise yeast
3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. + 1 tsp.
1 tsp. Salt
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 eggs
1/2 tsp. 1/2 tsp. honey
2/3 cup milk
Cake Decorating and Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
As desired, sugar and food coloring
A key ingredient is a small plastic baby )
Instructions:
Make the cinnamon filing first.
1. Butter should be melted.
2. Mix the butter and brown sugar together in a bowl until they are well combined.
3. Mix in the honey, cinnamon, flour. Mix thoroughly.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
5. Cover the container and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Next comes the fun part: making your king-cake dough.
1. Combine all ingredients for the dough in a large bowl. Butter should be softened.
2. Use a stand mixer to mix ingredients for four minutes at low speed until they are well combined. You don’t need a mixer? That’s fine.
3. Next, combine ingredients for 6 minutes on medium speed. Take a small amount of the dough and test it for readiness. The dough should be thin enough that you can see the light through it without it tearing.
4. To proof the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
5. Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll it into a rectangle of 1 inch thickness.
6. Place the dough on a baking sheet or tray and cover with plastic wrap. To continue proofing, place it in the fridge overnight
7. Bake the dough when you’re ready. Let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge before you take it out.
8. Make a rectangle of the dough (approximately 20×8 inches).
9. Place the cinnamon filling onto the rectangle. Fold in half lengthwise. The folded dough should measure approximately 20×4 inches.
10. The dough should be cut into three equal lengthwise strips.
11. The strips should be stretched to 24 inches. Then, braid the three pieces and shape them into an oval or circle.
12. Place the unbaked cake on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
13. Cover the cake and let it rest in warm until it doubles in size. Home bakers can use this trick to keep the unbaked cakes from drying out on the middle rack of the oven. On the oven floor, place a pan of boiling water.
14. Bake the cake at 325°F for 30 minutes or until it is golden brown. Or until it reaches a temperature of 190°F. This will take approximately 12 to 15 mins in a convection oven and approximately 20 minutes in an oven regular.
The final part of decorating is everyone’s favorite!
1. In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, wholemilk, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
2. For colored sugars, place sugar in three bowls: one for purple, one for green and one for gold. Mix a few drops of color in a bowl and continue to mix until it is fully incorporated. You can add more coloring, a little at a time until you achieve the desired color.
3. After the cake cools, remove the baby from the top and place it in the bottom.
4. Sprinkle the icing on top.
5. Sprinkle sugar over the top and alternate between the three colors.
6. Continue eating.
