Epiphany Crown Spanish "roscón De Reyes"

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 20 g pressed yeast
• 4 tablespoons warm milk
• 1/2 kg flour
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 egg, separated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 tablespoon orange flower water (agua de azahar)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 100 g butter, softened
• 50 g blanched almonds, skinned and slivered
• candied fruit (about 100 grams) or orange peel, etc. for decoration (about 100 grams)

Recipe

• 1 dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
• 2 add 50 grams of the flour and mix to make a soft dough.
• 3 cover with a damp cloth and set in a warm place until doubled in bulk.
• 4 put the remaining flour in a large bowl. make a well in the centre.
• 5 beat the eggs together with the egg yolk and pour into the flour with the salt, rum, orange flower water and the rest of the sugar.
• 6 add the grated orange and lemon rind. work the flour into the liquid with the hands.
• 7 add the yeast dough and mix very well until the dough is no longer sticky, adding flour as necessary.
• 8 divide the butter into 4 parts and sprinkle it with flour.
• 9 divide the dough into 4 parts. on a lightly floured board work a piece of butter into each of the pieces of dough, then knead them together again.
• 10 knead the dough until very smooth and elastic. lightly butter a bowl. put the ball of dough into it, turn it to coat lightly with butter, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let set in a warm, draught-free place for an hour or more.
• 11 punch the dough down, turn out onto the board and knead again.
• 12 insert a trinket or coin or bean (no plastic objects that will melt) into the dough. form the dough into one or two balls and flatten them slightly.
• 13 shape into rings by inserting a finger into the centre and very gently easing the dough outward to create a hole in the centre. either stuff the hole with crumpled foil and place or a buttered oven tin or set the rings in lightly buttered ring moulds.
• 14 cover and set in a warm place to rise again the dough will not double in bulk but will rise substantially during baking.
• 15 lightly beat the remaining egg or a whole egg and brush the cake with it. sprinkle on the slivered almonds and stud with pieces of candied fruit. sprinkle lightly with sugar and bake in a medium-hot oven until nicely browned, about 35 minutes.