ROSCA DE REYES: A SWEET TRADITION ROOTED IN HISTORYAND FAMILY VALUES
by Maritur DMC
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Rosca de Reyes (sometimes referred to as kings' cake, or three kings' cake) is a type of bread associated in a number of countries with the festival of Epiphany at the end of Christmas season. In other places, it is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/ Carnival.
What started out roughly 300 years ago as a dry French Bread–type dough with sugar on top and a bean inside now comes in many varieties depending on the country.
This Cooking class will follow the Mexican Tradition, where Rosca de Reyes is a very popular bread that is enjoyed with family and friends on Epiphany Day or Kings Day, on January 6th. Following religious origins, in Mexico Rosca Bread is made in the shape of a ring (or also the crown), and a small plastic figurine is placed inside the Rosca bread prior to cutting, this figurine represents baby Jesus. The Rosca represents the Wise Men’s search meaning. It also represents how Mary and Joseph hid their son when King Herod wanted to find the baby that according to the prophecies would become king.
The family goes around the table taking turns and cutting into the rosca. Expectations mount as each guest reveals whether or not they got the baby figurine.
The Rosca de Reyes celebration usually involves making a delicious Mexican hot chocolate, a traditional beverage that highlights the indigenous origin of chocolate, an ingredient that has become perhaps the most popular flavor in the world.
It is considered to be good luck if the figurine is in the slice you receive. In Mexico, the person who finds the figurine of Jesus is designated to throw a fiesta and provide tamales on Día de la Candelaria which falls on February 2nd.
ROSCA DE REYES RECIPE
Ingredients:
• 11g of dry yeast
• 500 grs of flour
• ½ cup warm milk
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 tbs orage zest or vanilla
• 1 tps of salt
• 3 eggs
• 135 grs of butter at room temperature
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Sugar Crust:
• 100 grs butter
• 100 confectioner sugar
• 100 grs of flour
• 1 egg
• Dry fruit or nuts: figs, cherrys, almonds
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Instructions:
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Pour lukewarm milk into a bowl, and sprinkle with yeast and 1 tbspoon of flour. Stir with a fork until yeast and flour has dissolved. It will take about 5 to 10 minutes, let it stand until foamy or doubled size.
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Place the flour on a clean surface, and make a hole in the center with your hand. In a bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Pour mixture into the hole of your flour. Add the yeast mixture, sugar and salt and using your fingers, mix until everything comes together. Continue kneading until you have a smooth dough. Once your dough is smooth and soft, add butter and continue kneading until it is smooth and elastic. It will take about half an hour.
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Once your dough is ready, place in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 and ½ hours.
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While the dough is resting, mix the following ingredients for the decoration:
Butter and confectioner sugar until creamy, then add flour and egg, and mix.
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After the first resting period, remove dough from bowl onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times, then shape into a round ring. Transfer to a greased baking sheet or silpat. Let it rise until doubled in volume. Gather all your decorations and the egg wash.
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Preheat oven al least 2º minutes before baking at 375 degrees.
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