La Mexicana's Rosca De Reyes (king Cake)

Total Time: 3 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 cup milk, warm
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter or 1 cup crisco, melted
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 6 cups flour (may need up to 8 cups)
• 1 (12 ounce) can solo almond filling (substitute danish - almond filling, marzipan or the jam of your choice if you can't find the solo almond filli)
• 2 dried beans (for the babies)
• colored sugar sprinkle (optional) or candied fruit (optional)
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla

Recipe

• 1 combine yeast and water in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved, and set aside until yeast is proofed.
• 2 in a large mixing bowl combine the milk, sugar, and butter, stirring until dissolved.
• 3 add the salt, eggs, and yeast mixture and blend thoroughly.
• 4 beat in 3 cups of flour to make a smooth batter add additional flour to make a soft dough (dough will be very sticky).
• 5 turn out a floured board and knead approximately 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed.
• 6 dough may be made with a standing mixer and dough hook.
• 7 round into a ball and place in a warm buttered bowl, turning to lightly coat top with some of the butter.
• 8 cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
• 9 punch down the dough and divide in half.
• 10 to prepare rings, divide dough in half and flatten into a long oval.
• 11 spread 1/2 can of solo almond filling on each oval, place one bean into each oval, and roll each piece into a rope.
• 12 join ends together leaving large oval hole in the middle.
• 13 cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.
• 14 while the bread is rising, preheat oven to 350°f.
• 15 bake rings for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown and sound hollow when thumped.
• 16 remove and let loaves cool on wire racks.
• 17 icing: mix all the icing ingredients together until fluffy and well blended.
• 18 to serve, frost cooled loaves with icing.
• 19 decorate with different colored sugars or candied fruit.