Whole Wheat Nutella Brownies

I'm a day late on World Nutella Day and about 7 months late on a blog post, but that's okay because I won Valentine's Day, and it's still a week away!  How did I do this? Simple. I made a heart-shaped Nutella brownie.  It was perfectly dense, Nutella-y, and fudgy, and Brian threatened to eat the entire thing in one sitting.

[For the record, I didn’t get around to making these brownies on Nutella Day because we were too full of Nutella and homemade chocolate hazelnut spread (a la David Lebovitz).]

Whole Wheat Nutella Brownies
printable recipe

1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil (or a combo of the two), melted*
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup Nutella, or other chocolate-hazelnut spread, softened slightly
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

*I used 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon coconut oil. The hint of coconut in the final product was a nice way to lighten the otherwise very rich flavor just a bit.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (or a heart-shaped pan, if you have it :)) by greasing with butter or coconut oil and coating with flour.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Stir in the Nutella.

In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.  Then combine with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Spread evenly in prepared baking pan.

Bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on how gooey you like the center.

Cool for about 10 minutes and serve warm, either alone or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

Happy (Belated) World Nutella Day and Happy (Early) Valentine's Day!

Even though the official holiday was yesterday, you can still celebrate by enjoying Nutella on its own or in any of the many recipes you’ll find here:

World Nutella Day
Ms Adventures in Italy
Bleeding Espresso

Baby Cake

This cake was my last big baking project in my DC kitchen.  I was going to do a “wordless Wednesday” post, since we’ve been so ridiculously busy lately getting ready for the move and getting in some quality time with our friends (and the city) before we go.  But I couldn’t help myself…

I’ve been in this kitchen for just over three years, but I’ve learned so much in it.  My blog was born here, and there’ve been lots of other firsts along the way.

A little over a year ago, I made my first-ever three-tiered cake for a post-wedding party for a couple of my favorite people.  This past weekend, I made my last cake in DC for that same couple’s baby shower!

Getting the frosting color just right.
(I’m wearing a Caps t-shirt for the occasion.  How Washingtonian of me.)

I planned ahead and spread the baking and assembly out over two nights, but  I probably should have taken three.  The night before the shower was a late one (and appropriately so, since pretty much every other big baking project I’ve ever done has kept me up until the wee hours) – but it was totally worth it.

For the cake, I went with a 12-inch base tier of Cooks Illustrated’s “Fluffy Yellow Layer Cake” and a 9-inch top tier of Cooks Illustrated’s Sour Cream Fudge Layer Cake, which didn’t rise anywhere near as much as I thought it should and was more like a brownie or flourless torte than a layer cake.  I ended up needing to make a second batch (which also didn’t rise much) to get the height I wanted for the top tier – but the flavor was amazing.  The frosting was a basic vanilla buttercream.

Post-cake chaos…
I don’t know what I’m going to do without this island.

Are you really taking my picture at 3 o’clock in the morning?

The top. Inspired by this design.

 

Detail.

Shower time!

I’m certainly going to miss my kitchen and excuses to make huge cakes for my DC friends. 

Only 14 days until our big move…

Celebration and Anticipation

As August draws to a close, we have so many reasons to celebrate:  birthdays, anniversaries, coming out of two natural disasters (within 5 days) unscathed, and anticipating the beginning of a brand new chapter of our lives!

August has always been one of my favorite months.  Yes, it’s hot.  Yes, its arrival means that summer freedom is coming to a close and school will soon be back in session.  But it’s also the month of my birthday!  (And my mom’s; I love that we share the same day.)  For over a decade, it was also the month of an annual extended family beach trip.  And for the last three years, it’s been the month of Brian’s and my wedding anniversary.  So it’s a great month.

This year August was even more eventful than usual.  I spent almost every weekend working on a film (rather than my usual sleeping in and going to the farmers market and cooking and blogging).  I was also in the midst of a will-we-or-won’t-we-be-moving-across-the-country-next-month quandary, which was causing me more than a little anxiety.

Happily, everything seems to be turning out even better than we’d hoped.

A couple of days before my birthday, I was offered a wonderful and unique opportunity for a new job at an organization whose work I admire and that is actually in the same field as my graduate degree. (Imagine that.) I accepted the position on the morning of my birthday, which happened to also be the same day as my first earthquake ever. Maybe it means that this coming year is going to be particularly …. vibrant? Moving? Earth-shaking? Or maybe it doesn’t mean anything.

The new job means a new city and a cross-country move. Actually, we’re moving back home. We’ll be within driving distance of our families, close to lots of friends, and finally in a position to get a house with a yard, where I’ll finally get to grow some vegetables of my own(!).  

I've learned a lot in my 5 years in DC. We’ve enjoyed our city life, but we’re at a point where being close to our families is a priority, where the comforts and ease of small-town living are more alluring, and the inconveniences of the city are starting to outweigh the advantages. A five- to ten-minute commute is also pretty appealing.

Guess what?  I blew them all out in one breath.

Our destination town is Fayetteville, where Brian and I first met and where we both attended the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is a charming place nestled in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.  It’s a top college town and boasts a lively arts scene, a brand-new American art museum (nearby), and a 60-stall farmers market.  It’s a place where college football passions run high and cost of living runs low.  It’s also the home of some of my favorite people in the world.  

Oh, but it does get hot there.  And there’s no Trader Joe’s within a 199-mile radius. (The closest one is exactly 200 miles away.  I checked.)  Whole Foods is 180 miles away.  I’m already anxious about where we’ll find our favorite cheeses.  (Yes, I mean you, Santa Teresa.) Is it possible to buy cheese online?   On the upside, there is a great locally owned natural foods store (a co-op, in fact) that I’m excited to explore.

September 28 will officially be our last day in the District.

John F. Kennedy said that “Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.” 

He knew what he was talking about, and there are a number of things we won’t miss about the city, including the WMATA with its myriad problems and those of the DC/MD/VA drivers who refuse to use their blinkers or turn their lights on in the rain.

On the other hand, there are plenty of things we will miss about DC. I’ll miss my kitchen and its humongous island (but hopefully I’ll find a new one with equally excellent counter space). We’ll miss having the year-round Dupont farmers market and our neighborhood14th and U farmers market, Ethiopian food, and great grocery stores.  We’ll miss the U Street Corridor; wine happy hour and bocce at Vinoteca; fried oysters and gypsy jazz at 1905.  I’ll miss the shopping (but not the inconvenience of getting there).  We'll miss impromptu weekend trips to New York City that don't require a plane ticket. We’ll miss the view from our rooftop deck and seeing the Washington Capitals play live.   We’ll miss the parish we’ve grown to love and the beautiful Masses at the Basilica.  Most of all, we’ll miss our DC and New York friends. But we'll have great excuses to come back and visit.

So, here’s to August 2011, and all that the next year has to offer!

(Healthier) Chocolate Chip Cookies

Most days, I spend most of my time thinking mostly about food.  Buying it. Chopping it. Mixing it. Cooking it.  Eating it.  The bounty of summer makes it easy to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Lately though, I’ve been harboring an irresistible urge to bake something sweet.  I deftly staved it off several times last week by grilling veggies or whipping up a pasta dish or other relatively healthy dinner item.  On Friday, I finally decided that if I was going to succumb to the desire, I was going to make the most of it by attempting to create a slightly healthier version of a baked treat. 

These cookies contain 25% less butter and about 17% less sugar than traditional chocolate chip cookies.  And they’re made with mostly whole grains:  whole wheat flour in place of half of the white flour and a generous amount of oatmeal.  Of course, the true measure of a good cookie is the resulting flavor and texture, and these are not lacking in either.  They boast the ability to satisfy even the most discriminating palate – buttery, sweet, moist, chewy, chocolatey, with a bit of crunch.  Their hearty yet delicate texture is just as good on day 3 as it is fresh out of the oven.  The cookies can easily stand on their own without the addition of chocolate, or they can accommodate any number of other additions, such as dried cranberries or walnuts. 

In a word, they’re perfect.  I like them even better than traditional chocolate chip cookies.

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield 60 2" cookies.

1 cup whole wheat flour (“pastry” flour if you have it, but I used the standard variety)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cup rolled oats (not quick-cook)
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
optional additions: ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins; ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine the flours, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir and set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the vanilla, eggs, and milk and beat until well combined.

Add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and any other additions.

Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, distribute dough balls (about the size of a heaping tablespoon) about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden around the edges.  Be careful not to overcook them.  (In  my oven, 8 minutes and 30 seconds was the perfect amount of time.)

Wait about 2 minutes before removing to a rack to cool.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

The cookies keep well stored in an airtight container for several days.

Red, White, and Blue Scones

Just in time for Independence Day, a breakfast (or anytime) treat in patriotic colors.

 

I had my first scone at the campus bakery my freshman year of college.  It was moist and flaky, slightly cakey, and just the right amount of sweet; in other words, love at first bite.  I must have caught them on a good day because I’ve heard several people say that they didn’t like scones (campus bakery variety included) because they always thought they were too dry and crumbly.  Not so with this homemade version.

Even though I had every intention of trying my hand at scone-making, it took me ten years to finally do it!  It turns out that they are easy and quick and can take as little as 30 minutes, start to finish.  Perfect for whipping up on a lazy Saturday (or holiday) morning.

This recipe is fairly flexible and can accommodate a variety of fruit/flavor additions.  I usually prefer my scones with dried cranberries and orange zest, but 4th of July weekend and the abundance of fresh berries at the market called for a little something extra.  The sweetness of the fresh blueberries is a nice compliment to the tart cranberries and the orange zest infuses the entire dough with a hint of citrus.

Red, White, and Blue Scones (Blueberry-Cranberry Scones)
adapted from “Classic Currant Scones” from The Joy of Cooking

Yield 8 scones.

2 cups flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, very cold and cut into ¼-inch pieces
½ cup heavy cream
1 large egg
1 heaping teaspoon orange zest (from ½ medium orange)**
½ cup dried cranberries*
¾ cup (4 ounces) fresh blueberries

for topping
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons coarse raw sugar

*I went with a combination of dried and fresh fruit because I didn’t want to create too much extra moisture in the batter.  However, based on my results, I think it would work well to substitute seasonal fresh berries, such as raspberries or (pitted and quartered) cherries, instead of dried cranberries. 
**Lemon zest also works well in place of the orange zest.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until the butter pieces are well coated in flour and about the size of small pebbles. (Do not allow the butter to become fully blended with flour or form a paste.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, and orange zest.

Very carefully fold the blueberries and cranberries into the dry ingredients.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and gently fold together (using a spatula or wooden spoon) until all the flour is moistened.  Use your hands to gather the dough and press against the sides of the bowl to collect any remaining bits of batter and form a cohesive ball.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into an 8- to 9-inch disk.  Cut into 8 wedges using a bench scraper or butter knife. 

Place scones at least 2 inches apart on a large baking sheet.  Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes until tops are golden and the centers are set. 

Cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes and serve warm.  (Or serve at room temperature.)

Tiramisù Meringue Cake

Last week, we continued the accidental tradition of inventing a new dessert in honor of Brian’s birthday. He began brainstorming weeks in advance, starting out somewhere around chocolate mint whoopie pies and ending up at dacquoise. Brian said he wanted something like a cake but with more texture, remembering the layered Doberge; cake we had at a Mardi Gras party. From there, we got around to dacquoise because I thought the meringue would provide the consistency he was looking for. The decision finally came down to the fact that we had some mascarpone we needed to use. He was glad to relinquish control over his birthday dessert to give me a chance to experiment. Happily, it turned out to be just what Brian wanted – a nice combination of creamy and firm and some of his favorite flavors. I was surprised by how much it resembled tiramisù – the flavors, though rearranged, had a similar effect. The major difference was that, unlike soaked ladyfingers, the meringue retained most of its original texture, softening just enough from the moisture in the filling to be perfectly fork-friendly.

A note about the name: The resulting recipe is technically not dacquoise, since I ended up not using any nuts in the meringue, so we decided “meringue cake” would be more appropriate.

Tiramisù Meringue Cake


Note: Because the meringue needs time to dry and the final cake needs time to set in the freezer, it’s best to make the meringue a day or two in advance.

for the meringue (adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
4 egg whites
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 60% cacao)

for the filling 8 ounces mascarpone
3 egg yolks
⅓ cup sugar + 2 tablespoons sugar
1¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons (1½ ounce) espresso (or strong coffee), chilled

for the glaze
2 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 60% cacao)
1 teaspoon butter
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

for the meringue
With racks in upper- and lower-middle positions, heat oven to 225°F. Line 2 half-sheet baking pans with parchment paper. Draw two 8-inch circles on each sheet of parchment paper and turn over.

Break chocolate into pieces and chop very finely, or pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch.

In stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites, vanilla, and salt on high speed until soft peaks just begin to form (about 30-45 seconds). Reduce to medium speed and add sugar mixture in a slow, steady stream. Scrape down bowl and return mixer to high speed.

Beat until stiff, glossy peaks are formed (30-45 seconds).

Gently fold in chocolate.

Drop ¼ of meringue in the center of each of the 4 circles. Use an offset spatula in a circular motion to evenly spread meringue to the edges of the circles. Smooth the tops.


Bake for 1 to 1½ hours until meringues are dry, rotating the sheet pans (top to bottom and front to back) after 30 minutes. Turn off oven and, keeping oven door closed, allow meringues to continue drying until cool, another 2 to 3 hours or as long as overnight. If not using immediately, store meringues in two gallon zipper backs, separated by parchment paper. (You can use the same paper used to bake them.)

for the filling
Combine 3 egg yolks and ⅓ cup sugar in the top bowl of a double boiler (or other heatproof bowl). Whisk until yolks are thick and pale yellow. Set over a pot with 1-2 inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until egg mixture is warm and very thick, 5-6 minutes. Set aside to cool, stirring frequently.

Using a handheld mixer (or my personal favorite, an immersion blender with whisk attachment), whip cream. When it begins to thicken, add remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

Stir egg yolk mixture and mascarpone together in a medium bowl. Fold in about ⅓ of whipped cream. Set aside.

Into remaining whipped cream, fold chilled espresso.

to assemble
On a serving plate, spread ⅓ of mascarpone mixture onto 1 round of meringue.
Then spread ⅓ of espresso cream. Top with second meringue round and repeat: ⅓ of mascarpone, ⅓ of espresso cream. Top with third meringue round and remaining ⅓ of mascarpone and espresso cream. Top with fourth meringue round.


for the glaze
Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler (or in the microwave). Remove from heat and add a small amount of cream until the chocolate reaches desired consistency (depending on whether you prefer to spread or drizzle the chocolate over the cake).

Spread or drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cake.

Allow cake to freeze for at least 2 hours before serving (for easier slicing/serving). If the cake has been in the freezer for more than 8 hours, allow to thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.


If you want to put candles on it, melt some extra chocolate when you remove the cake from the freezer to serve. Drop a small dollop of chocolate for each candle, allow to harden for 20-30 seconds and press candles into chocolate.

crema gianduia: homemade chocolate hazelnut spread

A few weeks ago, we made our very own chocolate hazelnut spread.  Luckily, Lent has arrived, or we’d still be hovering over the jar with our spoons out…but I’m sure we’ll be ready to dig back in once these forty days are up.

All the chocolate-hazelnut recipes posted across the blogosphere in honor of Nutella Day last month got me thinking about attempting to make my own again.  A well-timed article in La Cucina Italiana magazine provided the impetus and guidance I needed to get started.  For my first batch, I followed the recipe exactly as written. 

The recipe had only 5 ingredients, took less than half an hour to make, and left me wondering what in the world had gone wrong with my last attempt. 

The La Cucina Italiana recipe called for 8 ounces of milk chocolate to 5 ounces of toasted hazelnuts and Chef Karen DeMasco’s special touch, coarse Demerara or turbinado sugar (for a bit of crunch).  It comes out to 29.5% hazelnuts.  (If you’ve followed my Nutella study, that’s a significantly higher proportion of hazelnuts than contained in either the Italian or American versions of Nutella.)

Although it was an excellent variation on the chocolate-hazelnut-spread theme (it tasted almost exactly like the filling of one of my favorite candies), we prefer our gianduia like we prefer our chocolate: dark.  

For round two, we created three different adaptations, one with 3 ounces of dark chocolate added to the the original recipe, one with 4 ounces each dark and milk chocolate, and one with all dark chocolate (plus a little extra oil to replace the missing fat).  While all three were good, the clear winner was the half-and-half version.  The dark chocolate gave it just the extra boost it needed to balance out the hazelnuts, and the milk chocolate kept it creamy and more spreadable than the other two. 

Gianduia (chocolate hazelnut spread) adapted from La Cucina Italiana
printable recipe

makes about 1½ cups

4 oz good quality milk chocolate*
4 oz good quality dark chocolate (54%)*
8 oz raw hazelnuts
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp dark brown sugar
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup grapeseed oil

*For the chocolate, we used Whole Foods’ organic, fair trade.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Spread hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until fragrant and just beginning to brown. The skins should also begin to visibly loosen.

Meanwhile, break chocolate into pieces and combine in the bowl of a food processor with all remaining ingredients, except the grapeseed oil.

Remove nuts from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Using a tea towel, rub hazelnuts a handful at a time to remove the bitter skins. (It’s okay if they don’t all come off.)

Add warm hazelnuts to bowl of food processor.

Puree.  With the processor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream to emulsify.  Continue blending until mixture is smooth. (The spread will not become perfectly smooth but will retain small flecks of hazelnuts and sugar for a slight crunch.)

Transfer to an airtight container and allow to thicken (at room temperature for about 2 days, or in the refrigerator for 1 hour.)

Tip: For faster thickening, remove spread from refrigerator after 20-30 minutes.  Stir.  Let rest for 2 minutes.  Stir again.

Spread keeps at room temperature for up to three months.  To soften slightly for spreading, microwave for 5-10 seconds.

a tale of two King Cakes

It’s Fat Tuesday!  In anticipation of the lean season of Lent, I spent the weekend getting some baking out of my system.

Growing up, the arrival of Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras/Carnevale usually brought a batch of my mother’s King Cake (adapted from a recipe she got from a friend years ago).  The cake is basically a huge cinnamon roll with purple, green, and gold sugar on top and a plastic baby hidden inside.  What could be better than a big, sweet ring of cake, cinnamon, butter, and brown sugar?

I never questioned the cake's authenticity until a few weeks ago, when we were treated to a weekend of authentic, New Orleans-style Mardi Gras parties thrown by the Mystick Krewe of Louisiana.  During one late-night gathering as they were cutting the King Cake, my Louisianan cousin commented that it just wouldn’t be authentic King Cake without cream cheese filling.  I had never heard of such a thing, but sure enough, the cake was filled with cream cheese.  The texture of the cake struck a lovely balance between cakey and flaky.  I was surprised by how much I liked it (and was tempted to go back for more).

When it came time to make my own King Cake this year, I wanted to try it with cream cheese and decided to do some experimenting.  The King Cake has a long, often disputed history, and the various incarnations of the traditional pre-Lenten treat are endless.  In New Orleans, there are probably as many versions as there are bakers.  I sifted through lots of recipes, very few of which included the desired cream cheese.  I finally found an Emeril Lagasse recipe on foodnetwork.com.  I figured if anyone had an authentic recipe, he would.

A few hours of kneading and rising later, I had a 1/2 batch of Emeril's cream-cheese-filled King Cake and a full batch of my mom's recipe, with various filling variations.

The two doughs were quite different.  For the same amount of water, butter, yeast, and salt, my mom’s recipe called for 2 eggs, 7 cups of flour, and a cup of water.  Emeril’s, on the other hand, called for 5 egg yolks, only 5 cups of flour , and no water.  My mom's came out more like a traditional cinnamon roll (fluffy and spongy with a moist chew) and Emeril's more brioche-like with a lighter mouth-feel and a drier crumb.

my mom’s recipe is on the left; Emeril’s on the right

I loved the cream cheese filling.  The problem with Emeril's was that the lemon zest and nutmeg in the dough combined with the cream cheese filling made the whole thing taste like apples.  I have no problem with apples. They are one of my favorite foods.  But if I want an apple-stuffed pastry, I'll make an apple-stuffed pastry.

The problem with the family recipe was that once I'd tasted Emeril's dough, I realized how much it was really just a cinnamon roll.  I like cinnamon rolls, but as with the apples, I was going for something all little different.  It was certainly just a texture rather than a flavor issue.  I liked both the butter-pecan-cinnamon-brown sugar filling and the cinnamon-brown sugar-cream cheese filling I had tried, but I wanted a dough more similar to Emeril’s.

Unfortunately I didn’t have the time or the audience for a third batch of King Cake, so I wasn’t able to come up with my ideal recipe.  I supposed it will have to wait until next year.  Instead, I’ll offer the recipes I used and some ideas if you feel like experimenting yourself.

You can find Emeril’s original recipe here.  If I were to make it again, I would omit the nutmeg and lemon from the dough and add cinnamon and brown sugar to the cream cheese filling.  I’d also sub milk and vanilla extract for the lemon juice in the glaze. It would look a little something like this:

King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling (adapted from Emeril’s King Cake)

Dough
5 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
4 tsp instant yeast (or two packages active dry yeast)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
5 egg yolks

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened slightly
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Glaze
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons milk

Decorating Sugar
½ cup granulated sugar, divided in three (Color each with a few drops of yellow, green, or red/blue food coloring and toss with a fork in order create yellow, green, and purple decorating sugar.)

Plastic baby or coin

In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine yeast, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and milk.  Stir to combine. (If using active dry yeast, you must wait for the yeast to activate before adding the dry ingredients.  After several minutes, the mixture should begin to bubble.)

Add the flour and salt.   Stir until dough begins to come together.  Then, either mix with dough hook on lowest setting for 5 minutes (until dough pulls away from side of bowl and becomes smooth), or turn mixture onto floured surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes until dough is smooth, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking. 

Place dough in a large, oiled bowl, turning dough over once so that all sides are coated.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1.5 to 2 hours.

When dough is almost finished rising, combine the cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl. Mix well.

In another small bowl, stir together cinnamon and brown sugar.

When dough has risen, turn onto floured surface and roll until about 30 inches long by 6 inches wide.

Spread the cream cheese in a wide strip down the center of the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture and optional pecans.

Bring the two long edges together and use your fingers to press dough together, sealing all sides completely.  
Place dough on a greased baking sheet seam side down and carefully shape into a ring.

Cover the ring with a damp tea towel or flour sack cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Make the glaze: In a small bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk or beat until smooth.  If glaze is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once dough is risen, remove towel and use a sharp knife, sharp scissors, or a lame to make several slits around the top of the ring. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Allow the cake to cool partially, then insert the plastic baby or coin into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the cake.

While cake it is still slightly warm, drizzle with glaze.
Sprinkle with colored sugar, alternating purple, green, and gold

Once cool, cut the cake into individual pieces and serve.

---

Alternatively, if you prefer a cinnamon roll-style cake, go with the following tried and true recipe.  There are two filling options – one with cream cheese and one without.

King Cake (cinnamon-roll style)

Dough
3 ½ cups (16 oz) all-purpose flour, sifted
¼ cup (25 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp instant yeast (or 1 package active dry yeast)
1 tsp salt
½ cup water
½ cup milk
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 egg

Filling Option 1 ¾ cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Filling Option 2  ½ cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon ½ cup powdered sugar 8 oz cream cheese, softened

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk

Decorating Sugar
 ½ cup granulated sugar, divided in three (Color each with a few drops of yellow, green, or red/blue food coloring and toss with a fork in order create yellow, green, and purple decorating sugar.)

Plastic baby or coin

Sift and measure flour. In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together sugar, yeast, salt, and 1 cup flour.  In a small sauce pan, heat milk, water, and butter over low heat until butter is melted and liquids are warm.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly (to about 110 degrees F). 

Gradually add liquid to dry ingredients and beat with paddle attachment at medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Add egg and 1 cup flour and beat at high speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add enough of remaining flour to make a stiff dough.  Switch from paddle attachment to dough hook and knead on low speed for 5 minutes until smooth (or turn dough onto well-floured surface and knead by hand for 5-10 minutes until smooth).  Add flour as needed to prevent sticking.

Place dough in a large, oiled bowl, turning dough over once so that all sides are coated.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 ½ hours. 

When dough is almost finished rising, prepare filling: 

Filling 1 In another small bowl, stir together cinnamon and brown sugar.

Filling 2  Combine the cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl. Mix well. In another small bowl, stir together cinnamon and brown sugar.

Turn dough onto floured surface, punch down, and knead about 5 times.  Divide dough into two pieces.  One at a time, roll out each piece of dough until about 20 inches long and 6 inches wide. 

Spread butter or cream cheese over entire surface of dough and top with cinnamon/sugar mixture (and pecans, if using).




Starting with the long side of the dough, roll into a spiral and pinch edges to seal.  Repeat with second piece of dough.  



Twist each piece of dough and place on greased baking sheet.  Press ends together, forming one large ring with the two halves. 


Cover the ring with a damp tea towel or flour sack cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Make glaze: In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk or beat until smooth.  If glaze is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once dough is risen, bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow the cake to cool partially, then insert the plastic baby or coin into the ring under one of the folds.  While cake it is still slightly warm, drizzle with glaze. Sprinkle with colored sugar, alternating purple, green, and gold.


Once cool, cut the cake into individual pieces and serve.