Mardi Gras King Cake. Southern Louisiana Style. If you can't get yourself to Louisiana for Mardi Gras this year, fixing this recipe is the next best thing. In fact, we think it's even better than ordering a mail-order King Cake. This colorful, iconic treat might seem intimidating, but once you let the yeast dough rise, the good time roll together quickly.

Watching my first Mardi Gras parade in the French Quarter from atop my cousin's shoulders is a memory I love to conjure up. Right there with that parade, I also recall my first bite of Mardi Gras King Cake. Similar to coffee cake, this ring-shaped confection is as rich in tradition and history as it is in color and taste. You can cook Mardi Gras King Cake. Southern Louisiana Style using 19 ingredients and 12 steps. Here is how you achieve that.

Ingredients of Mardi Gras King Cake. Southern Louisiana Style

It's of pastry.
It's of milk.
It's of sugar.
You need of butter.
It's of active dry yeast, or 1 tablespoon.
It's of warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C).
You need of eggs.
You need of salt.
You need of nutmeg.
You need of All-purpose flour.
You need of filling.
Prepare of packed brown sugar.
Prepare of ground cinnamon.
Prepare of chopped pecans.
It's of raisons...(optional).
Prepare of melted butter.
You need of frosting.
Prepare of confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar).
It's of water (optional, add food coloring).

Dive into this traditional King Cake recipe perfected by master chef John Besh! King Cake has been a long standing tradition around Mardi Gras and the Carnival season. A small plastic baby is baked in the cake, and the lucky reveler who discovers it is said to have good. Prepared sweet roll dough and colorful frostings speed up the cake-baking process for a Mardi Gras King Cake.

Mardi Gras King Cake. Southern Louisiana Style step by step

Scald the milk, remove from heat and stir in butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature..
In a large bowl, disolve yeast in warm water with 1 tablespoon of white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 5-10 minutes.
When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs..
Stir in the remaining white sugar,salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time.When the dough has pulled together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes..
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowland turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1-2 hours.
When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
Preheat oven to 350°F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper..
To make FILLING: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and raisons. Pour 1/2 cup butterover the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly..
Roll dough halves out into large rectangles(about 10x16 inches or so). sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and rollup each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings..
Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors, make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes..
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes..
Frost while cakes are still warm with the confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar) blended with 1-2 tablespoons of water..

A small plastic baby inserted into the side of the cake will bring good luck in the coming year to whoever discovers it in their slice. King cake milkshake from Frey Smoked Meat Co. in New Orleans, Louisiana. Frey's is known for its barbecue, whiskey and milkshakes, so it should come as no surprise that during Mardi Gras, the restaurant whips up a king cake and ice cream concoction. In the cup goes cinnamon and vanilla ice cream with plenty of colorful sprinkles, and on top. These early Europeans celebrated the coming of the three wise men bearing gifts twelve days after Christmas calling it the Feast of the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King's Day.