Markey’s King Cake
4 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3 egg yolks or 2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. orange or lemon zest, optional
1/2-1 stick butter, softened or melted
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cinnamon
Icing
4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Purple, green and gold sanding sugar
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and yeast in mixing bowl. Heat milk, water and 2 sticks of butter. Cool to 110 degrees. Add liquids to flour in mixing bowl. Beat with hand mixer or stand mixer 2 minutes. Add yolks, vanilla, orange or lemon zest and 1/2 cup flour. Mix 2-3 minutes. Mix in 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour to make a stiff batter. Mix 2-3 minutes. Leave in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
Return dough to room temperature. Scrape dough onto floured work surface. Knead for one minute. Roll into rectangle approximately 9 x 15 inches.
Soften 6 Tbsp. butter and spread over rectangle being careful to keep 1/2” from top and bottom free of butter. Blend sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over buttered rectangle. Roll up from edge closest to you. Pinch edges together once rolled. Transfer to parchment covered cookie sheet and form a circle pinching ends together. Let rise until double in bulk. Place in preheated 350-degree oven.
Bake 30- 35 minutes. Remove from oven and slide parchment with king cake onto cooling rack. Let cool 10-15 minutes then top with icing. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Place bean or plastic baby under bottom of king cake. The person who gets the bean or baby is King or Queen for the Day and gets to make the next King Cake.
Crustless Pecan Pie
3 large eggs
1 cup maple syrup, honey or corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar.
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
Beat eggs until lemon colored. Mix syrup, sugar and butter together and add to eggs.
Sift dry ingredients together and add to egg mix. Add vanilla and pecans. Blend well.
Pour into well-greased 8-inch pie pan or baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve as is or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Quick and easy!
Serves 8
