Here is something that we enjoy...... and Mardi Gras is getting
close....



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King Cake W/ Cream Cheese Filling


2 1/4 teaspoon yeast
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
4 cup flour
----FILLING----
1/2 king cake recipe
16 oz cherry, apple or
1 apricot pie filling
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon flour
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 dried bean
1 yellow, green purple sugars

Mix the yeast with the warm water. Stir 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1
teaspoon of the flour into the yeast and set aside. By the time you
have
measured the other ingredients, the yeast should start bubbling.

Bring the milk to a boil and stir in the butter and the sugar. Pour
into
a large bowl; the mixture should be lukewarm. Beat in the egg yolks,
whole eggs and the yeast.

Beat in approximately 2 cups of flour, until the dough is fairly
smooth,
then gradually add enough additional flour to make a soft dough that
you
can form into a ball. Knead it, until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil
a
bowl, turn the dough once or twice in it to grease it lightly all
over,
cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in
size
about 1 1/2 hours.

Pat dough down and cover with the bowl with a damp towel, plastic film
over that and refrigerate until the next day. This recipe makes
enough
dough for two king cakes. Extra dough may be frozen, or make two king
cakes and freeze one. Thaw frozen cake and reheat 10 minutes at 375F.

Preparation: Remove dough from refrigerator with well-floured hands,
while it's firm and cold, shape into a long sausage shape. Using a
floured roller on a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 30X9
rectangle as thin as pie crust. Let the dough rest.

If necessary, drain extra juice from pie filling. Mix the cream
cheese
with the sugar, flour, egg yolks and vanilla. Spoon an inch wide
strip of
fruit filling the length of the dough, about 3 inches from one edge.
Spoon
the cream cheese mixture alongside the fruit, about 3 inches from the
other edge. Brush both sides of dough with egg wash. Insert the bean.

Fold one edge of dough over the cream cheese and fruit, then fold the
other edge over. Gently place one end of the filled roll onto a
greased
pizza pan or a large cookie sheet. Ease the rest of the roll onto the
pan, joining the ends to form a circle or oval. Cover and let rest
for 30
minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush again with egg wash and cut deep
vents into the cake. Sprinkle with colored sugars in two inch wide
bands.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or cake is well risen and golden. Cool
before
icing with confectioner's sugar mixed with enough water to make a
spreadable paste and tinted purple, green and gold.

If using a plastic baby, instead of the bean, insert it into the
bottom of
the cake after it is cooked. Tradition says that the person getting
the
King cake baby, will make the cake for the following Mardi Gras
Season.

Yield: 12 servings


** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.66 **


The Fine Art of Cooking involves personal choice.
Many preferences, ingredients, and procedures may not
be consistent with what you know to be true.
As with any recipe, you may find your personal
intervention will be necessary. Bon Appetit!