Tastefully Tuesday...

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone.  Fat Tuesday celebrates the last day of Carnival, which begins on January 6th.  In celebration of Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday many people serve Kings cakes which originally were made to celebrate the Epiphany, or the day the three wise men visited the baby Jesus.  A plastic baby Jesus or a bean to represent the baby is placed inside the cake and the tradition is that who ever gets the baby will have wealth and luck through out the rest of the year and they in turn must make the next King Cake or host the next Mardi Gras party. Traditional cakes are filled with cinnamon, round to represent the shape of a kings crown and covered in gold, purple and green sugar or frosting, the gold represents power, green faith and purple justice.  In honor of the day the following is a traditional King Cake recipe for your Fat Tuesday celebration. If you make the following recipe and want to add the toy Baby Jesus to the cake remember to add it after the cake has baked or the plastic will melt during cooking.

Traditional King Cake
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 to 6 1/2 cups bread flour (6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour may be substituted)
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.

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 (85°), 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. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.

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.

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. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.

VARIATION:

For a Cream Cheese-Filled King Cake: Prepare each 22- x 12-inch dough rectangle as directed. Omit 1/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Increase 1/2 cup sugar to 3/4 cup sugar. Beat 3/4 cup sugar; 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened; 1 large egg; and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders. Proceed with recipe as directed.

To make the Creamy Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
Stir together first 4 ingredients. Stir in 2 tablespoons milk, adding additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency.

Purple, green, and gold tinted sugar sprinkles

$1.00 off any two Hood Sour Cream
$0.50 of any Imperial Sugar
$1.00 off one Organic Valley Butter
$0.75 off any Organic Valley Eggs
$1.00 off any Arrowhead Mills flour
$0.75 off any Organic Valley Cream Cheese
$1.00 off any two 1/2 gallon or one gallon of Organic Valley Milk

Don't feel like cooking but want to celebrate?  Red Lobster has their Lobster Fest going on right now, you can get Main and Rock Lobster, Parmesan lobster and shrimp bake, shrimp, lobster and langostino linguini Alfredo or the more traditional Surf and Turf meal with Lobster and a peppercorn-rubbed center-cut sirloin.  Here are two great coupons to help you out, $3.00 off of any two lunch entrees and/or $4.00 off any two dinner entrees, both good until March 18th, 2011.

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone and remember to enter my $10 Amazon give away!

C.Q.