Jane's King Cake

 

I used to teach with Jane and she'd always make one of these to share in the teacher's lounge.  She's a Yankee, but gets a pass for making such a yummy King Cake.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 TBSP. sugar
• 2 pkgs. yeast
• 1/3 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1 stick butter
• 2/3 c. evaporated milk (small can)
• 2 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 6 c. flour
• Filling: 
  
  • ½ box light brown sugar
  • 1 c. granulated sugar
  • 2 TBSP. cinnamon
  • 1 stick butter melted

Directions:

1. Combine 2 TBSP sugar, yeast, and warm water in large mixing bowl. Let stand until foaming. (Stir slightly to blend first). 
2. Place butter, milk, sugar, and salt in small pan. On low heat setting, heat mixture to lukewarm (105-115 degrees). Butter should melt. 
3. Beat eggs into foaming yeast mixture. 
4.  Add lukewarm milk mixture. 
5. Add flour a cup at a time. After adding 4-4 ½ cups, it will be easier to add the rest of the flour and mix with your hands, either in the bowl or on a large wooden board. 
6. Knead 5-10 minutes until dough is no longer sticky. It will be soft and pliable. 
7. Lightly grease a large bowl, put ball of dough in bowl and turn to grease all around. 
8. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double (about 1 hour)
9. Mix sugars and cinnamon for filling
10. When dough has risen, punch down. Roll out dough on large floured surface to about 18”x 36”.
11.  Brush dough with melted butter and spread evenly with sugar mixture. 
12. Slice lengthwise in three 6” strips. Roll each like a jellyroll, sealing seams tightly. 
13. Braid and form into an oval shape. 
14. Pinch the ends together. Put on large greased baking sheet, like a jellyroll pan-sides are important! There will be seepage of sugar. 
15. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise about 1 hour.
16. Beat 1 egg with a little water. 
17. Into 3 bowls, combine ¼ c. sugar each colored purple, green, and yellow. 
18.  When dough has risen, brush top with beaten egg. Sprinkle sugars in alternate patterns.
19. Bake at 350 for 20-30 min. 
20. After cake has cooled, insert the MG baby in the bottom.

Notes::

• I didn't do steps 16, 17, and 18.  Instead I made a frosting with 3-4 cups powdered sugar and a few tablespoons milk.  I poured the frosting over the top after the cake had cooked and then sprinkled with colored sugars.  The purple is hard to achieve.  Any tips?
• If you have a stand mixer with dough hook, use that-much easier.
• Jellyroll pan is best, or you’ll have to clean up sugar mess in the oven.
• Use a covered jar to shake sugar and food coloring to mix thoroughly.

Pizza Dough

 

I've made pizza a few times prior to this, but have no idea what recipe I used for the dough.  I got this one from allrecipes.com. It'd help if I had a pizza stone so the bottom would get crisper. 

Ingredients:

• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, olive oil, salt, white sugar and the yeast mixture; stir well to combine. 
3. Beat well until a stiff dough has formed. 
4. Cover and rise until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface. 
6. Form dough into a round and roll out into a pizza crust shape. 
7. Cover with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. 

Notes:

• This is as easy as you want it to be.  It all depends on how you decide to top it.
• I made chicken Parmesan this week so I had leftover sauce and cheese to use.  Ends up being an Italian week of dinners.  
• I usually toss a little Parmesan cheese on top.
• I've done pizza before with some more adventurous toppings and veggies, but it was the end of the week so there weren't many veggies on hand in the fridge and I wanted to keep things easy so just pepperoni it is.
• It's best to get the dough as thin as possible and push sauce and topping as close to the edge as possible.  The crust will rise some in the oven.