Every year, when Christmas arrives, my mind is filled with warm and happy memories related to the unmistakable flavour of the Three Kings cake. It is a special bond that connects my family during the holidays.
I remember the Christmas days we spent in the town, where the Three Kings parade became a magical moment with my parents, sisters, uncles and cousins. Afterwards, we all shared a family dinner before going to rest.
The real magic came on the morning of January 6th when we discovered and opened the presents left by the Three Wise Men and sat down to have the Three Kings´ cake for breakfast.
Filled with cream or chocolate, everyone had their favourite, and some, like me, could not resist trying both. Laughter and fights over the figurines and the dreaded bean became part of the tradition, creating stories that still linger in my memory.
The real magic came on the morning of January 6th, when we discovered the presents left by the Three Wise Men and sat down to have the Three Kings´s cake for breakfast.
Over the years, I have been improving my Three Kings recipe until it is perfect. Now, I can say that I have been repeating it for years without changing a simple ingredient.
Restings create a tender and spongy bun, ideal for filling and including the bean and the figurines inside, but also ideal for eating alone. And the orange blossom aroma is the great secret and gives it that characteristic and recognisable flavour worldwide.
This homemade recipe, whether you prefer the Three Kings cake filled with cream or chocolate, for breakfast or dinner on January 6th (or any other time of the year!), will become a delight for all the people who try it.
Restings create a tender and spongy bun, ideal for filling and including the bean and the figurines inside, but also ideal for eating alone.
I believe that the tradition of Three Kings cake (Roscón de Reyes) is something that never will be lost, since it unites entire families in one of the most beautiful Christmas moments: the arrival of the Three Wise Men!
In my case, whenever the night of January 5th arrives, there will always be a Three Kings cake ready to enjoy with the family.
Let´s go with this delicious Christmas recipe!
You can also try making these Christmas salt dough recipe: they are the perfect Christmas decoration, you will have a lot of fun making these decorations and will want to repeat them every year.
Difficulty: DIFFICULT
Preparation time: 6 hours
Baking time: 30 minutes
THREE KINGS CAKE
INGREDIENTS (For 1 Kings cake)
- Dough
- 500 g high protein flour
- 200 g milk
- 2 eggs (L)
- 100 g sugar
- 70 g butter
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 1 tablespoon orange blosson water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Decoration
- 100 g candied fruits
- Granulated sugar
- Laminated almonds
PREPARATION
Mixing
IMPORTANT! You must use high protein flour to make Three Kings cake (Roscón de Reyes in Spanish).
Firstly, in a glass, blend the warm milk and fresh yeast and let it dilute.
Then, place the flour in a bowl and incorporate all the ingredients, except the butter and the decoration ingredients (candied fruits, granulated sugar and almonds).
Mix for about 5 minutes to bind the ingredients.
After 5 minutes of mixing, incorporate little by little the butter cut into squares, and continue mixing in each incorporation. Mix another 10 minutes until have a smooth, shiny and manageable dough.
Restings
When you finish mixing, place the dough in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let rest for 1 h 30 minutes – 2 h or until doubled in size.
On a baking tray, break or desgas the dough. Make a hole in the centre. Gently enlarge it until it has a ring shape (Do not leave the central hole too small, the Roscón or Three Kings cake will grow, widening and closing the central hole).
Photos by: @aniolvisuals
Baking and Decoration
After letting rest the Kings cake, paint it with beaten egg and decorate it with candied fruit.
Sprinkle the Roscón with the granulated sugar and the laminated almonds.
Photos by: @aniolvisuals
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 h or until doubled in size.
Bake at 180 ºC for 25 – 30 minutes (until the surface has acquired a nice golden colour).
After baking, take out the cake from the oven and let it cool.
Photo by: @aniolvisuals
Lastly, enjoy it alone or with the filling you like the most!
THREE KINGS CAKE
1
Three Kings cake6
hours30
minutesIngredients
- Dough
500 g strong flour
200 g milk
2 eggs (L)
100 g sugar
70 g butter
25 g fresh yeast
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Decoration
100 g candied fruits
Granulated sugar
Laminated almonds
Preparation
- Dough
- Important! You must use strong or high protein flour to make kings cake
- In a glass, mix warm milk with yeast and let it dilute
- In a bowl, place the flour and incorporate all the ingredients, except the butter, the candied fruits and the granulated sugar
- Mix for about 5 minutes to bind the ingredients
- Incorporate little by little the butter cut into squares, and continue mixing in each incorporation
- Mix another 10 minutes until get a smooth, shiny and manageable dough.
- Restings
- When you finish mixing, place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Let rest 1 h 30 minutes - 2 h or until doubled in size
- On a baking tray, break or desgas the dough. Make a hole in the centre. Gently enlarge it until it has a ring shape
- Cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 2 h or until doubled in size (Do not leave the central hole too small, the roscón or Three King´s cake will grow, widening and closing the central hole)
- Baking and Decoration
- Paint the cake with beaten egg and decorate with the candied fruit
- Sprinkle the king´s cake with granulated sugar
- Bake at 180 ºC for 25 - 30 minutes (until the surface has acquired a nice golden colour)
- After baking, take out the cake from the oven and let it cool
- Enjoy it alone or with the filling you like the most!
Did you like this Christmas recipe? Go ahead and do it!
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