The Wandering Kind: King Cake, Y'all

My favorite culinary endeavor so far was one of my earliest. It was February, there was snow up to my knees, and everyone at home was dressing up for Mardi Gras balls, catching moonpies, and Instagramming pictures of their favorite hometown King Cakes. I was a little homesick. My tight knit group of expat friends were getting together for a potluck dinner, so I decided it was the perfect time to have a taste of home and introduce my new friends from around the world to the magic of Mobile (and New Orleans, I guess) and Mardi Gras.

I trekked from store to store in the snow to acquire all the necessary ingredients. I was still getting accustomed to a seemingly nonsensical language (it’s actually quite beautiful) and that the concept of an all-inclusive shopping venue hasn’t made its way over here yet. I miss Target.

There was a point when I almost surrendered. What kind of King Cake doesn’t have colored icing? No King Cake of mine. When I finally found it in a tiny corner potraviny (read: grocery), I actually squealed a little bit, and the shop keeper gave me one of the rarest gifts a Czech can give to a stranger—SHE SMILED.

The King Cake was happening. It took all day, and yes, baby Jesus was a peanut, but sure enough there was a purple, green and gold ring shaped confection filled with cream cheese and cinnamon at dinner that night. It was a wonderful liaison between home and my new life and friends here in Prague.

I combined a few different recipes to come up with the final product. Here’s a recipe for some Southern love, Mobile tradition, and the introduction of “y’all” to foreign vernacular.

Ingredients:

1 1(16 oz) container of sour cream

· 1/3 C sugar

· ¼ C butter

· 1 tsp Salt

· 2 (1/4 oz) envelopes dry active yeast

· 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

· 6 to 6 ½ C bread flour

· 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

· 2 tsp vanilla extract

· Cinnamon sugar

· Powdered sugar

· Juice from one lemon

· Purple, green and gold tinted sparkling sugar crystals

· ½ C warm water

Directions

Melt sour cream, sugar, butter and salt in medium saucepan over low heat until combined. Set aside to cool.

Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Beat 3/4 cup sugar, cream cheese, 1 egg, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with second dough roll. Place a coffee can in the middle so as to preserve the integrity of the ring.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden, and then allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

While the cake cools, whip up your glaze: stir together powdered sugar, butter, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir in milk two tablespoons at a time until it is desired consistency.

Spread glaze over cooled cake, top with colored sugar and laissez les bon temps rouler!