Mardi Gras, New Orleans, the next best thing....

I can't go to New Orleans this year for Mardi Gras. Though I'd love to feel  the excitement and the celebration that makes it the place to be the last few days before Ash Wednesday.  And a recipe for King Cake might seem like a poor substitute but you haven't tried this cake.
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I've had lots of King Cakes and had my poor husband drive all over St. Louis to different bakeries that claim to have the best one in town.  They're usually dry, overpriced and disappointing. 

A few years ago I came across this recipe from Sucre, a famous bakery in New Orleans and all I can say is WOW.  I think I made 5 of them the first year, which is overkill and not good for anyone's curves.  I did share though and everybody felt the same way I did about this masterpiece.  
So without further ado......
 
Sucré's King Cake has been voted "A Favorite" by the Times Picayune 2012 King Cake Contest and 2011 "BEST" King Cake by a Washington Post blind taste test. Sucre's signature buttery danish pastry is sweetened by cinnamon and raw cane sugar then folded with a light layer of creole cream cheese.
Dough

•  2/3 cup whole milk
• 5 tablespoons sugar, divided 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature 
• 2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature, plus 1/2 tablespoon, melted

Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast and milk in a mixing bowl and mix on low speed till it comes together. As dough comes together, add 1 egg at a time then add butter gradually. Continue to mix at medium speed till smooth and elastic. Do not over-mix.
Place in a clean bowl and wrap with plastic wrap, keep at room temperature and allow to double in size. When doubled, "punch down" to deflate, and wrap again to allow to rise again. At this point, make the cream cheese filling.
Filling

• 8oz cream cheese (1 pack)
• 1ea egg yolk
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• zest of 1 lemon
• Combine all ingredients and mix till smooth. Will be divided on 2 pieces of dough.
• Assembly

Roll dough to an even rectangle about ¼" thick. Cut into 2 lengthwise and pipe or spoon cream cheese filling on the upper 1/3 of each piece. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon) evenly. Roll each piece into a log and twist them together to form a braid. Shape into a ring sealing the ends well.

Proof to double in size and bake in preheated oven at 360°F for approximately 20-25 minutes or till golden brown on the bottom surface. If top is golden brown and bottom is still not baked, cover the top with foil and turn oven down to 325°F. Allow to cool before glazing.

Glaze

• 2 cups powder sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients till smooth and coat top of cooled cake. Allow glaze to dry before serving. Serves 8-10 people.  
Recipe courtesy of:
Sucré
3930 Euphrosine Street
New Orleans, LA 70125
www.shopsucre.com
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