At Home With Jemma| The King Cake A Mardi Gras Confection and a Mardi Gras Inspired Bouquet

Hi friends! I have a little question to begin our day with today, would you agree with me that every party needs to a have cake and a bouquet of flowers?
I'd love to know your thoughts, so please drop me a note in the comment section.

Moving right along now, it is Mardi Gras! Whoop, whoop!
It is time for the one and only King Cake to make it's annual debut, it is the best confection to serve for the biggest party that is held every year in the French Quarter.

Don't have the time to make one...just click on the link above and have one delivered to your front door.

King Cake is a delicious, colorful, frosted oval shaped pastry brimming with goodness and a rich

history too.

Naturally, with a cake this famous you know there are going to be so many choices for fillings that

range from cream cheese, chocolate or even cinnamon.

Today I am also sharing a Mardi Gras inspired bouquet of flowers to keep my homemade King Cake

 company. 😊 

Friends, it is time to mark your calendars for February 25th, and "let the good times roll."

With Fat Tuesday being just around the corner, I think we should take a look at the 

History behind this signature baked good of Carnival Season in New Orleans.

The King Cake tradition appears to have been brought to New Orleans from the French in 1870.

The French version is made of a flaky textured puffy pastry with an almond filling, I am thinking

that next year, this will be a definite must try.

Interestingly enough a King Cake is not a perfect circle, ( and boy am I glad, because  I just don't

think I have it in me to make a perfectly perfect circle King Cake!)  in fact, the King Cake is shaped

oval which symbolizes the unity of Faiths. I love this!

The King Cake is decorated in royal colors, these colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown

honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child On Epiphany.

In the past such things as coins, beans, pecans or peas were also hidden in each King Cake, now it is

a tiny plastic baby which symbolizes baby Jesus.

 Purple = "JUSTICE."

Green  = " FAITH."

Gold =    "POWER."

Many, years ago when our family was young we took a job promotion and relocated from

Colleyville Texas to  Destrehan Louisiana for a couple of years.

The six of us were all so exited to try out a new culture and with children ranging in age from 16 to 2

there was something for everyone; beignets from the iconic Café Du Monde, muffulettas, jambalaya 

and the family friendly version of Mardi Gras held each year  in Jefferson Parish.

Those young years with the family were mighty fun, I had my two oldest when I was in my early

twenties and we all sort of grew up together and it was pretty magical.

As we added on two more, our family bloomed from four to six and we all experienced so many new

beginnings and adventures together, it was a good life and good times.

For my homemade King Cake I chose the traditional colors of Mardi Gras for the sprinkles on the

King Cake and for the Blooms in my Mardi Gras bouquet.

In order to get the colors I wanted for my Mardi Gras bouqet I purchased three small bouquets and

mixed them together and then placed them in my Mom's lead glass water pitcher.

I tossed around some Mardi Gras boas and festoons that I picked up at The Dollar Tree and presto,

let's celebrate!

Well, I have probably chatted your ear right off, so on with the recipe and Happy Fat Tuesday-

February 25th!

King Cake A Mardi Gras Tradition

Yield: 12 slices

Author: JO

prep time: 2 H & 30 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 2 H & 60 M

Jemma's King Cake is a sweetened, enriched dough lightly flavored with lemon, nutmeg and cinnamon essence, filled with chopped pecans, brown sugar and butter.

ingredients:

KING CAKE

• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter room temperature
• 2/3 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• *************************************************************************************
• KING CAKE FILLING
• 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup raisins or cranberries (optional)

instructions:

How to cook King Cake A Mardi Gras Tradition

KING CAKE INSTRUCTIONS/Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

1. Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled 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 out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

PECAN FILLING INSTRUCTIONS

1. To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
2. Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up 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.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

LEMON GLAZE INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1-1/2 - 2 cups confectioners sugar
2. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
3. 2 tablespoon water
4. Green, purple and yellow sprinkles
5. **********************************************************************************
6. Sift confectioners sugar into a bowl wisk in lemon juice and water. Add more sugar if needed.
7. Pour glaze over cooled cake, then add green, purple and yellow sprinkles.

Created using The Recipes Generator

XOXO

New Orleans Style Gardening.



Thank you so much for joining me today!