Three Kings Bread
Three Kings Bread
Rosca de los ReyesThree Kings Bread is served on Epiphany, on January 6, the religious holiday in the Christian faith that honors when the birth of the infant Jesus was said to have been revealed to the three kings and the world. The bread is shaped like a wreath with a tiny china doll, symbolizing the infant Christ, baked inside. The wreaths are filled with candied fruits and nuts and glazed with icing. The person who gets the doll in his or her portion of sweet bread is traditionally designated to give a party on February 2, the religious holiday, Candelaria, or Candlemas Day.Evie Lieb, a breadmaker and bread-baking teacher in Sacramento developed this delicious sweet bread recipe, and often uses a plastic doll if a china doll is not available. Cut a small plug from each baked ring, insert a little plastic doll and replace the cutout plug. Do this before the bread is glazed, and no one will be the wiser. Have handy an ovenproof glass bowl or a can to place in the center of the ring while it bakes, to prevent the dough from spreading and closing the center hole. (The dough can also be made with a standing mixer.)
Ingrediënten
Makes 2 small rings
Dough
- 4½ cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoons quick-rising active dry yeast
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons unsalted salt
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 cup milk
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 large eggs beaten
Filling
- 8 candied cherries cut into eighths
- 4 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
- 4 tablespoons dark raisins
- 8 wedges or rings of dried pineapple cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg beaten
- Icing
- 3 tablespoons half and half or whole milk
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Candied fruit for decoration
- 2 tiny dolls china or plastic (optional)
Instructies
- Make the dough: Place the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, and grated zest in a food processor fitted with a plastic dough blade.
- Pulse to combine.
- In a glass measuring cup in a microwave, or in a small pan on the stove, heat the milk and butter to 120° to 125°.
- (The butter does not have to be completely melted).
- With processor running, add the liquid to the dry ingredients, pouring through the feed tube only as fast as it can be absorbed.
- Add the 2 beaten eggs in the same way.
- When incorporated, process about 40 seconds, or until the dough is homogeneous.
- Remove dough from the bowl and knead by hand 1 minute.
- Place dough in a greased plastic bag large enough to accommodate the dough when it doubles, or in a greased bowl.
- Squeeze out the air and seal, leaving room for the dough to rise (or cover bowl with plastic wrap).
- Let rise until doubled in size and a dent remains when poked gently with a finger, about 45 minutes.
- Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours at this point.
- (If refrigerated, allow the dough to come to room temperature before proceeding.
- )
- Line an insulated baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide dough in half.
- Roll out one portion to a 6- × 15-inch rectangle.
- Over the rectangle, scatter half of the cherries, walnuts, raisins, and pineapple, leaving a 1-inch border along one long side.
- Put a piece of waxed paper over the surface of the rectangle and with a rolling pin press the filling into the dough.
- Roll up tightly from the filled long side to the unfilled 1-inch border.
- Pinch tightly all along the seam to seal, and bring the ends together to form a ring.
- Pinch the edges to seal together.
- Repeat process for the second piece of dough.
- Place the rings on the baking sheet.
- To keep the ring shape while baking, place in the middle of each ring a small, ovenproof glass bowl, or empty can, greased on the outside to prevent it from sticking to the dough.
- Cover the rings with plastic and let rise until double, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- When doubled, glaze the rings with beaten egg and bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until they sound hollow when tapped (or the internal temperature reads 200° on an instant-read thermometer.
- ) Remove the can or bowl from the centers.
- If wreaths brown too fast before they are done, cover with foil, and continue baking.
- Cool completely on a rack before glazing.
- Whisk together the icing ingredients, and when the ring has cooled, drizzle each ring with half of the mixture, allowing it to run down the sides.
- Before the icing dries, decorate the tops with candied fruits.
- The bread keeps about 2 days, or can be frozen in sealed plastic freezer bags up to 3 months.
- Return to room temperature before eating.
