Three King's Bread

This is supposed to remind you of Spain or southern Italy or even Mexico, so the first thing I think of is citrus.  I lean heavily on orange peel, citrus zest in the filling and tangerine juice for the frosting.  You could use Limoncello to plump the raisins.  I love lemon, but I do not want the sour note of lemon in the cake or filling, so it is all about orange and tangerine and Grand Marnier.  Lemons are a big feature of my grandmother's islands and there was a tree in the back yard of her house, and an almond tree in the front to shade the terrace. 

I used to do this every year for Christmas, buy it is actually served on the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th, or Twelfth Night, to celebrate the coming of the three kings.

1 cup scalded milk cooled to very warm

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt(omit if using salted butter)

1T yeast

Up to 3 1/4 cups flour

Set aside 1/4 cup of the milk and dissolve the yeast into it.  Allow to prove.

Mix the rest of the milk nearly cool, the melted butter the eggs and salt.  Beat together till uniform and add in the proved yeast. and milk.

Add the flour a cup at a time beating together with a whisk, then with a large spoon adding more flour when the previous is all incorporated. 

continue to add flour a bit at a time kneading it in till the dough is sticky but getting very thick.  Turn out on the counter and continue to add the flour kneading as you go.  Do not add any more flour than absolutely necessary to allow you to handle it.  Continue to knead the dough.  it will seem to firm a bit as you knead.  when smooth and elastic and shiny, turn into a large greased bowl and cover loosely.

Allow to rise till doubled in a warm draft free place(the microwave or nearly cool oven works well.

Turn out onto the counter that is dusted with flour only if sticky.  roll to a rectangle  about 12 by 20.

Spread 2/3 c of melted or very soft butter over the whole rectangle. 

cover with fillings below.

roll up into a large jelly roll with fillings inside.  Seal the seam closed by pinching. 

 form a ring with the seam down, seal the ends together by pinching or using egg wash to join.

Place on parchment paper in a large cookie sheet. 

cut 16 vertical slashes into the outside of the ring toward the center.  About 1/3 of the way. 

Cover loosely with plastic or a tea towel and allow to rise till double.

brush with beaten egg then stick walnuts, almond slivers and candied cherries on the top as seen in the photo.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake uncovered about 20 min.  Cover with foil and bake till the center of the bread reached 190 plus degrees Fahrenheit. 

It may get very dark brown.  You may protect the sides with a ring of foil if you like as well as the top. The dark color does not really influence the taste very much, and since much of the top is covered with glaze, you could easily omit the egg-wash before baking which would yield a nut brown color instead of the dark. The dark surface does emphasize the jewel-like quality of the candied fruit and nuts though.

You may brush with honey or just butter with a pastry brush, but it is not needed.

Allow to cool almost completely.

Drizzle with powdered sugar mixed  to a molasses consistency with:

orange juice and grated zest

 or tangerine juice and grated zest. 

 cut in wedges to serve.

The filling is a combination of raisins plumped for an hour or overnight in orange liqueur, brandy or juice( I love Grand Marnier), candied orange peel (Or other fruits), chopped slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, orange,  lemon and tangerine zest  for a total of about 2 cups.  Stir in about 1/2 cup sugar and 2 T cinnamon.