Rosca De Reyes

Twelve nights after Christmas, on January 6, Christians celebrate Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day. On this day, it’s believed a star led the three wise men (or three kings) to visit baby Jesus after he had been born. To commemorate the day, King Cakes, also known as a Three Kings Cake or a baby cake, are served with a fève, or figurine or trinket, baked inside. In the case of the Mexican King Cake known as Rosca de Reyes, a plastic baby Jesus in your slice means you are responsible for making tamales and hosting a party on Día de la Candelaria (on February 2). 

Iliana de la Vega and her daughter, Ana Torrealba, the chefs and partners at El Naranjo restaurant in Austin, Texas, create a stunning, fluffy, and tender Rosca de Reyes that gets its depth of flavor from a poolish used to make the dough, and anise seed added to the mixture. But the real fun here is the decorations; the most common are nuts, candied fruits, and dried citrus peels, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Be sure you don’t add too much flour when rolling the dough, only enough just so it doesn’t stick, in order to keep the bread as tender as possible.

Make ahead

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.