Mexico Rosca de Reyes
Rosca de reyes ("ring of the kings"), a descendant of the French galette des rois, is a ring-shaped cake traditionally served in Mexico on the feast of the Epiphany, January 6. In the past, it was common to bake a dried bean into the cake to symbolize the baby Jesus. Today, many Mexicans insert a small plastic Jesus figurine in the cake after baking. The person who gets the figurine in his or her slice of cake is responsible for throwing a party on Candlemas, February 2.
Recipe Servings: 12
+ 310 hours resting
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) active dry yeast
- 1⅓ cup (320 ml) sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) warm water
- 4 cups (480 g) flour
- ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt
- 1½ tsp (7.5 ml) cinnamon
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) anise seed
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup (180 g) butter, softened
- 4 tsp (20 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 cups (450 g) candied fruit
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) sugar, for topping
- 1 dried bean or small plastic baby jesus
Directions
- Add yeast and 1 tsp (5 ml) sugar to warm water. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, cinnamon, anise seed, and 1 cup (240 ml) of the remaining sugar.
- Add yeast mixture, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract, and mix to form a dough.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place until dough is doubled in size, 1–2 hours.
- Punch dough down, roll it into a log shape, and then bend the ends around to form a circle and shape into a ring about 12–14 inches (30–36 cm) in diameter.
- Press the candied fruit onto the dough ring in a decorative pattern. Cover the ring with a damp towel and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Brush top of ring with egg wash, sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup (80 ml) of sugar, and bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350º F (175º C).
- When the cake is almost cooled, carefully lift one part of the ring and poke a hole on the underside of the cake. Press the dried bean or plastic baby Jesus securely and inconspicuously into the hole.
Notes
After the first rising, dough may be divided into three equal pieces, rolled into long ropes, braided, and then shaped into a ring. This is more time-consuming, but it can be easier to hide the figurine in a braided loaf.
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