Mardigras King Cake - King Cake:Traditional New Orleans Recipe

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 2 pkgs Active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 1 tsp (5 ml) Sugar
• 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 cups (1050 ml) Flour, unsifted
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Nutmeg
• 2 tsp (10 ml) Salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Lemon zest
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Warm milk
• 5 Egg yolks
• 1 stick Butter, cut into slices and softened, plus
• more 2 tbsp (30 ml) Softened butter
• 1 Egg, slightly beaten with
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Milk
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Cinnamon
• 1 Baby doll (1 inch)
• Green, purple and yellow paste
• 12 tbsp (175 ml) Sugar
• Icing
• 3 cups (700 ml) Confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Lemon juice
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) Water

1. Pour the warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 tsp (10 ml) sugar into it.
2. Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for 3 minutes, then mix thoroughly.
3. Set bowl in a warm place, for 10 minutes, or until yeast bubbles up and mixture almost doubles in volume.
4. Combine 3-1/2 cups (825 ml) flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt, and sift into a large mixing bowl.
5. Stir in lemon zest.
6. Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk.
7. Add egg yolks; using a wooden spoon, slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture.
8. When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tbsp (125 ml) butter, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, and continue to beat 2 minutes, or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.
9. Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread.
10. During this kneading, add up to 1 cup (225 ml) more of flour (1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time), sprinkled over the dough.
11. When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 more minutes, until shiny and elastic.
12. Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with 1 tbsp (15 ml) softened butter.
13. Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered.
14. Cover bowl with a moderately thick kitchen towel and place in a draft-free spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.
15. Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured surface.
16. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow.
17. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top; pat and shake dough into a cylinder.
18. Twist dough to form a curled cylinder, and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet.
19. Pinch the ends together to form a complete circle.
20. Cover dough with towel and set in draft-free spot for 45 minutes, until the circle of dough doubles in volume.
21. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (200 C.).
22. Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.
23. Place cake on wire rack to cool.
24. If desired, at this time, you can "hide" the plastic baby in the cake.
25. Squeeze a dot of green paste into palm of hand.
26. Sprinkle 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar over the paste and rub together quickly.
27. Place this mixture on wax paper and wash hands to remove color.
28. Repeat process for other 2 colors.
29. Set aside.
30. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 tbsp (45 ml) water.
31. Beat until smooth.
32. If icing is too stiff, add more water until spreadable.
33. Spread icing over top of cake.
34. Immediately sprinkle the colored sugars in individual rows consisting of about 2 rows each of green, purple and yellow.

water, yeast, sugar, flour, nutmeg, salt, lemon zest, milk, egg yolks, butter, butter, egg, milk, cinnamon, green, sugar, icing, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, water

Taken from online-cookbook.com/goto/cook/rpage/0003B2 (may not work)