Are you looking to bring a taste of New Orleans into your home? Look no further than the classic Mardi Gras dessert, king cake! Here’s a recipe for the best king cake you can make at home.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup milk, warmed
– 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
– 1/2 cup granulated sugar
– 2 eggs
– 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
– 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
– 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
– 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
– 1 plastic baby or small trinket
– Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the warmed milk and yeast. Let it sit for five minutes until it’s foamy.

2. Add in the granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until everything is combined.

3. Gradually add in the flour, stirring until a dough forms.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.

5. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise for one hour in a warm, draft-free area.

6. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together.

8. Roll out the king cake dough in a large rectangle.

9. Brush the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top.

10. Place the plastic baby or trinket on the dough.

11. Roll the dough up tightly from the short end, and pinch the seams to seal.

12. Form the dough into a circle shape and pinch the ends together to create a ring shape.

13. Place the king cake on a lined baking sheet and let it rise for another 30 minutes.

14. Brush the top of the king cake with melted butter.

15. Bake for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden brown.

16. Let the king cake cool for 10 minutes before decorating.

17. Sprinkle purple, green, and gold sanding sugar on top to make it festive.

Summary:

– This recipe requires ingredients such as milk, yeast, sugar, eggs, butter, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, plastic baby or trinket, and sanding sugar.
– The dough is made by first mixing the yeast, warmed milk, sugar, eggs, butter, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and flour until a dough forms, then kneading for five minutes with a rolling pin.
– The cinnamon-sugar mixture is made by mixing brown sugar and cinnamon together.
– The king cake is formed by rolling out the dough into a rectangle, sprinkling the cinnamon-sugar mixture and placing the plastic baby or trinket on top, rolling it up and forming it into a ring, and letting it rise before baking.
– After baking, the king cake is cooled before being decorated with purple, green, and gold sanding sugar.