2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
4 cups flour
FILLING:
1/2 king cake recipe
6 ounces cherry, apple or apricot pie filling
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 dried bean
Yellow, green purple sugars
Mix the yeast with the warm water. Stir 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1
teaspoon of the flour into the yeast and set aside. By the time you have
measured the other ingredients, the yeast should start bubbling.
Bring the milk to a boil and stir in the butter and the sugar. Pour into a
large bowl; the mixture should be lukewarm. Beat in the egg yolks, whole
eggs and the yeast. Beat in approximately 2 cups of flour, until the dough
is fairly smooth, then gradually add enough additional flour to make a soft
dough that you can form into a ball. Knead it, until smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil a bowl, turn the dough once or twice in it to grease it lightly
all over, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm spot until it
doubles in size - about 1 1/2 hours.
Pat dough down and cover the bowl with a damp towel, plastic film over that
and refrigerate until the next day. This recipe makes enough dough for two
king cakes.