King Cake With Banana Caramel Pecan Filling

• For the filling
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped raw pecans
• 1 fairly firm banana, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
• For the cake:
• 1 cup warm whole milk (105 to 110 F)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry active yeast
• 33/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 5 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 plastic baby or dried fava bean
• For the icing:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

1. 1. Prepare the caramel sauce for the filling. In the top of a double boiler, pour in the condensed milk, place over the bottom portion of boiling water, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and caramel-colored, about 21/2 hours. Cool 20 minutes before using.
2. 2. Prepare the cake. In a bowl, whisk milk with sugar, yeast and 1 heaping tablespoon flour until smooth and the yeast is dissolved. Let rest until the mixture gets bubbly, then whisk in butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and orange zest.
3. 3. In a separate bowl, mix remaining flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold this mixture into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula. Once combined and the dough begins to pull away from the bowl, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand until smooth, about 20 minutes of kneading. Form into a ball and place in a clean bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
4. 4. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
5. 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.
6. Spoon and spread some caramel sauce across the bottom lengthwise half of the dough rectangle then sprinkle the pecan bits and banana pieces on top. Flip the top half over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn't a seam.
7. 6. Carefully transfer the ring to the prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap allowing the dough to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Be careful not to overcook!) Remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. Gently lift up the edge of the cake, and hide the plastic baby somewhere through the bottom.
8. Decorate with icing in alternating colors of Green, Purple and Gold.

filling, condensed milk, pecans, banana, cake, milk, granulated sugar, active yeast, allpurpose, unsalted butter, egg yolks, vanilla, orange zest, ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, baby, sugar, condensed milk, milk, almond

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/king-cake-with-banana-caramel-pecan-filling-51874421 (may not work)