Three Kings Cake for the Epiphany
I just love this tradition and it tastes pretty good too!
Three Kings Cake - light and fluffy raisin bread rolls ( similar to English tea cakes) is also known as Epiphany cake or Dreikönigskuchen.
The rolls are arranged like a crown and you are supposed to place a plastic baby Jesus (in the Middle Ages they used a dried bean) inside one of them. As I didn't have a baby Jesus or bean handy, l used a walnut instead! The idea is whoever chooses the roll with the baby/walnut, gets to be king for the day! In some traditions they would also wear a crown. It’s such a lovely tradition and one I wish I had known about when my daughters were young.
The cake is easy to make, (it just takes a bit of time) and is lovely served warm, with butter and a little jam along with a good cup of tea.
Ingredients:
- 500 g plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 7g of instant yeast
- 60g butter - softened to room temperature
- 300ml full cream milk
- 1tsp grated lemon rind
- 80g sultanas
- 1 egg
- 2 Tsps slivered almonds
- 1 walnut to hide
Method:
1. Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the salt, sugar and yeast and mix in well.
3. Cube the butter and add it to the dry mixture.
4. Heat the milk on the stove until it’s lukewarm (not boiling) and then add it to the mixture.
5. Mix everything using a large sooon, until a smooth dough forms.
6. Now add the lemon zest and sultanas.
7. At this point I use my hands to mix / lightly knead the dough until the zest and sultanas are mixed through thoroughly.
8. Then cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rest in a warm spot in the house for around 2 - 3 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
9. When the dough is almost ready, preheat your oven to 180C / 350F.
10. Whisk the egg and set it aside.
11. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
12. Once the dough has risen, separate it into 8 equal portions, forming little balls. In one of the balls hide a plastic baby Jesus, a dried bean or a walnut!
13. Form a large ball with the remaining dough and place it in the centre of the tray. Then arrange the smaller balls around it, to make a flower shape.
14. Next brush the egg wash over the cake with a pastry brush.
15. Lastly sprinkle the almonds, over before baking for around 30minutes and serving.
