This story will have more twists and turns than a bad English murder mystery, and I only have a limited number of words to use. So, here goes the abbreviated version.
First matter of business - just what is and why do we have “King Cakes” during the late winter of the year? Jan. 6 is also known as the 12th Day of Christmas or Epiphany.
For many hundreds of years this is the date assigned to the Three Kings making their visit to the baby Jesus.
Epiphany cakes were known throughout Europe as early as the Middle Ages. In France it was called Galette des Rois, or Cake of the Kings. It was popular to place a small favor, la feve, in the cake to honor the king. Today a plastic baby is used.
These cakes are eaten during the period between Epiphany and Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It is believed that French-Canadian explorer Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iberville, who claimed the land surrounding the present day New Orleans for the French crown, brought the tradition of Galette des Rois with him from France. His arrival in the general area of New Orleans just happened to be the day before Mardi Gras - and a tradition was born.
The evolution of Galette des Rois, an almond-filled puff pastry, into a yeast dough filled with cinnamon and sugar, happened during the growth of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
In New Orleans the colors of the season became purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power. Traditionally these three colors honor the three kings who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas. The tradition today is that the person who has the baby in their slice provides the next king cake.
My personal history with the King Cake came about in the late 1970s. I was living in New Orleans and was offered many pieces of really dreadful, gummy pastry in the name of King Cake. For several years I had been experimenting with different pastries for cinnamon rolls. One day I used my cinnamon roll recipe for king cake and took it to work with me. The people who ate it loved it. During my sojourn in New Orleans I made many king cakes for friends.
Fast forward to the 1980s. I was living in Columbia with a fledgling catering business. My husband's first cousin, Helen Anne Rogers, was working for Southern Living. She had told me that Southern Living needed a good king cake recipe and had never found one they felt up to their standards.
One morning she called and said she had given them my recipe and they wanted to talk to me about it. A few minutes later one of the test kitchen cooks called me to clarify some points. I ended up spending a day talking to them on and off as I actually made the pastry. I even had to get a ruler and measure how large I rolled the rectangle of pastry. Their making of my King Cake recipe was on the cover of Southern Living's January issue the next year. I have the actual photo, along with the cover and the recipe framed; it hung in the cafe. It is still the recipe Southern Living refers to as Traditional King Cake.
Now to the recipe - please note this makes wonderful cinnamon rolls but is not the recipe for yeast rolls for the table. This recipe makes two smaller cakes or one very large cake serving about 36 slices.
Ingredients:
• 1 (16 oz. container sour cream)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 (1/4 oz.) envelopes active dry yeast)
• 1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
• 1 Tblsp sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 to 6-1/2 bread flour
• 1/3 cup butter, softened - divided
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 -1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
Step 1. Warm first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside and cool mixture to 100 - 110 degrees.
Step 2. Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water and 1 Tblp. sugar in a 1 cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes or until the yeast begins to "prove" or bubble.
Step 3. Using the flat beater blade, beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, beaten eggs and 2 cups of flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms. Watch the consistency of the dough when adding flour. Try not to add any more than is necessary. The dough should begin to come together as a dough, not a batter.
Step 4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning over to grease top.
Step 5. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, about 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Step 6. Punch down dough; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22 x 12 inch rectangle. Divide the 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1 inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.
Step 7. Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at one long side. Place roll into a loose oval, pinching the ends together. Place the dough oval seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with second dough roll.
Step 8. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts 20 - 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
Step 9. Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes, sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.
Creamy Glaze
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 Tblsp. butter, melted
• 2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 - 4 Tblsp. milk
Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Stir in milk a bit at a time until spreading consistency.
Happy Mardi Gras!
Fran Ginn is former chef/owner of The Back Door Café, who retired after 31 years in the food industry to be a grandmother. She can be contacted at fran@franginn.com.
