Happy Mardi Gras Part II

One king cake just wasn't enough. I made the first cake with fruit filling, but I also wanted a more traditional king cake. So I found the perfect recipe here. It was fairly easy until it got to the part about incorporating the butter. I don't have a KA mixer (boo hoo) so I tried to cut it in. And let me just say that was a little too much of a pain in the arse. So I ended up using the tools God gave me... yes, I used my hands (I promise they were clean!) I have never smelled something so delicious baking up in my kitchen. I swear I was at the mall smelling the same aroma I do when Cinnabon is cooking up a batch of rolls. MMMMM.

It didn't come out as pretty as I wished, but I don't care. The taste was too outstanding to let that detail bother me. But what did bother me was that I cut the part of the cake that had the baby. Damn! It's tradition that whoever gets the baby has to buy the next king cake. So I guess I'll have to buy myself one, or make another.

Again, I'm so sad to not be in Nola, but this cake truly brings the excitement of the season to me. Maybe I can throw some beads at Chad to get the full effect. Or, vice versa, and I'll show him something, (wink, wink).

King Cake
(recipe by Danno from Nola Cuisine)

For the Brioche:
1 Envelope Active Dry Yeast
2 Tbsp Warm Water (115 degree F)
1 tsp Iodized Salt
2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Milk2 tsp Orange Zest, minced
2 Cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
1 tsp Cinnamon
2 Eggs, beaten
1 1/4 sticks cold Unslated Butter, cut into very small dice
1 Egg beaten and 2 Tbsp water, for the eggwash

Dissolve the yeast in the workbowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, let stand until frothy.Dissolve the salt, sugar, orange zest and milk in a small bowl. When dissolved combine the milk mixture with the yeast mixture. Mix the cinnamon with the flour.With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, then gradually add the flour, until all is incorporated. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes, or until a smooth elastic dough is formed. A little more flour may be necessary. With the motor running, incorporate the butter into the dough, a little at a time but rather quickly so that it doesn’t heat up and melt.Turn the dough into an oiled bowl, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour in a warm spot.When the dough has doubled in bulk punch it down, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Roll the dough out to a 6 x 18 inch rectangle. Spead the Pecan filling (recipe below) out in the middle of the rectangle along the whole length, leaving about 1 1/2 inch on each side. Place the baby trinket somewhere with the filling. Fold the length of the dough over the filling and roll up tightly, leaving the seam side down. Turn the roll into a circle, seam side down and put one end inside of the other to hide the seam, and seal the circle. Place the cake on a baking sheet and let rise, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Place the king cake into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
When the cake cools, brush with some of the glaze (recipe below) thinned out with more cold water. This will help the sugars adhere. Decorate the cake with the colored sugars and drizzle some of the thicker glaze onto the cake.
Place on a large round serving plate and decorate with Mardi Gras beads, doubloons and whatever else that you like.

For the Pecan filling:
1 Cup Pecan halves, broken up slightly and roasted until fragrant
2/3 Cup Brown
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
1 pinch of salt
4 Tbsp Steen’s Cane Syrup
Combine all of the ingredients together.

For the glaze
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Bourbon
Water (enough to make a paste that can be drizzled) I used milk
Combine the sugar and bourbon, whisk in enough water to make a glaze that can be drizzled.

See the baby? That was totally meant for someone else.