Everyone keeps telling me to blog and I really do want to. But here's the problem: I have absolutely nothing to blog about. So I'll try to think of something, anything...
Yesterday was el Dia de los Reyes, the Day of the Kings, and to celebrate we got to eat Rosca de Reyes. Basically it's like this big, oval pastry thing that everyone takes a piece of and eats it. It's really good, so you might want two pieces. But be very careful-- there are THREE little plastic babies hidden in the pastry somewhere and if you get one you have to make dinner for everyone! And, I thought they'd be pretty noticable, but then Freddy's step dad showed me the one he found and it was TINY. Maybe, 1 inch by 1/4 inch... After seeing one I was like OH! Maybe I already ate one withou realizing it...? But luckily I didn't get one (or I don't THINK I did)-- but Freddy did... Wonder what he'll make?
What else... what else? Riley is getting bigger. And now he stays outside all day, every day. (Kinda makes me sad to leave him out there... but what can I really do-- it's not my house, so it's not my choice.) He got his first shots about a week ago... he was probably MUCH better than I ever was at getting shots. And he gets more in two more weeks. He's learning tricks too. Like sitting. That's about all we've gotten to. Today I tried "Stay" but we'll work on that more..
I got my new planner for 2009. Love it! It's pretty colorful and fun, completely different from my 2008 planner; I like it 100% more. I anticipate that I will be 100% more organized because of it.
Tonight Freddy is playing soccer-- the first game of their new indoor team. I'm super excited-- I like being there to watch him play.
Today I went to my Grandma and Grandpa's house. My mom and I went to go and do their grocery shopping, etc for them. When we got there we stayed to talk for a bit and Grandpa went over his to do list for the day. One of the things was that he needed to do was to write his pen pals. (Pen pals?) My mom clarified, Southern California Edison, California Gas Company, etc. Oh yeah, pen pals... Funny. My grandpa's funny.
That's pretty much all I can think of... for now anyway... I'll update as soon as something interesting happens.
OH! Except this! For Christmas Eve we went to Freddy's stepdad's parents' house. They have a tradition that they have gifts for all of their family. I was so surprised that they had one for me too-- just since I haven't really been part of the family for that long, and I don't really know them that well. Sweet, a present. So then I open it. AWESOME... it's a T-shirt that says (in Spanish)-- "I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA. I AM THE BEGINNING AND THE END. I AM JESUS CHRIST." Um... thank you?? Sooo... where do I wear that to??? Not sure yet.. I'm still going to write them a thank you card... in Spanish. It's the thought that counts, right??
cherry blossoms & a baby |march 2015|
8 years ago
King Cake
ReplyDelete2 envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 cups warm milk (about 110°F)
1/2 cup warm water
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 or a pecan half
5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles
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 and warm water. 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