Roscon de Reyes

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Roscon de Reyes

Although the blog is supposed to be about the hotel, the hotel is about people and the interaction it has with them. This next recipe is not something we will do at the hotel but it only shows me that how similar we all are and how much it resembles the last recipe, Vasilopita, I posted. This article was kindly written by Judy who lives in Spain but has visited Corfu and the hotel twice!! She is a new friend to me but a good friend is what she is!

Traditionally eaten in Spain, France and some other Spanish speaking countries on the 6th of January, the day when children are traditionally given their Christmas presents, the Rosca or Roscon de Reyes (Bagel of Kings) is normally accompanied by a thick drinking chocolate.

The origin of this special large bagel appears to be related to the Roman Saturnalia, although sometimes it is associated with an edible representation of the Advent wreath. These were celebrations dedicated to the god Saturn so that that the Roman people in general could celebrate the longer days after the winter solstice. For such celebrations, round cakes were prepared with figs, dates and honey, which were distributed equally among the commoners and slaves. In the third century, a bean was introduced into the dry ingredients and the fortunate person that was served that bit was named king of kings for the day. Nowadays the Bagel which represents a sort of crown has candied fruits encrusted in it, which represent the crown jewels. Inside the bagel there is a bean and a little ceramic figure, normally something to do with the Nativity. If you get the bean you have to pay for the bagel and if you get the ceramic figure you keep it and you wear the paper crown that accompanies the Bagel. Nowadays people usually eat it at breakfast time or in the afternoon at tea time and served with drinking chocolate.

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 40 g butter
  • Grated orange peel
  • Orange blossom water
  • 125 cc warmed milk
  • Grated lemon peel
  • 70 g sugar
  • 10 g yeast
  • 1 whisked egg
  • The ceramic figure
  • Candied fruits to decorate

Cooking Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 110ÂșC
  2. Form a mountain of flour on a work surface. Make a crater in the middle and place in it the yeast, the sugar, the butter, the orange blossom, the warm milk, the lemon and orange peel.
  3. Make dough until it sticks to your fingers. Form a round shape and let it stand in a warm place for 3 hours until it ferments and increases its volume.
  4. Work the dough into a bagel shape, placing inside the ceramic figure and the bean and decorating it with the pieces of candied fruits.
  5. Brush with the whisked egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
  6. If you wish you can fill the finished and cooled bagel with fresh whipped cream or butter.
  7. Cook in a preheated oven for approx 30 minutes or until golden brown.