Celebrate Mardi Gras With A Sparkly King Cake!

Happy Mardi Gras! If you're like most of us and can't get to New Orleans to celebrate Fat Tuesday, then bring a taste New Orleans to you. One of my favorite Mardi Gras culinary delights, other than my twist on traditional Jambalaya, is the King Cake. Granted, I'm a sucker for the sparkling topping and rich cream cheese filling, but never mind that. :)

Photo courtesy of BrooklynFarmhouse.com

Not sure what a King Cake is? Here's a mini history lesson:

With a consistency bridging that of coffee cake and French brioche and decorated with sparkling sugar crystals representing the traditional colors of Mardi Gras (gold = power, purple = justice, green = faith), the King Cake's "jeweled crown look" celebrates the Three Wise Men who came to visit newborn Jesus on Epiphany. The King Cake's circular shape represents the circular route take by the Magi in order to confuse King Herod, whose army was attempting to follow the Wise Men and kill Jesus.

Got it? Good! Let's move on to the good stuff...

Photo courtesy of MyRecipes.com

Here's the recipe, adapted from Emeril Lagasse:

• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
• 5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 4 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 plastic king cake baby (Don't have a plastic Baby Jesus? Use a pecan half instead)
• 5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Purple-, green-, and gold sugar sprinkles (I prefer sanding sugar for great sparkles)

Combine the yeast and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Beat at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the egg yolks, then beat for 1 minute at medium-low speed. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and starts to climb up the dough hook. (If the dough is uncooperative in coming together, add a bit of warm water (110 degrees), a tablespoon at a time, until it does.)

Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl with the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 cup of the confectioner's sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.

Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner's sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.

The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.

YIELD: 20 to 22 servings