For those who might not be familiar with King Cakes, a sweet danish dough filled with cinnamon sugar, cream cheese or fruit filling is covered with vanilla icing and decorated with the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold.
The person who gets the slice of cake with the plastic baby inside becomes “king” for the day and is bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.
It’s a fun and tasty tradition that can be enjoyed, not just in New Orleans, but across the country.
Father Ben Bradshaw, the pastor at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, (along with a crew of about 20 parishoners) makes over 1,000 king cakes every year for the church’s annual Mardi Gras fundraiser.
Father Ben offered the following tips for making King Cakes at home.
Tip #1: Preparation is key. Father Ben says prep ahead of time so on the day of production you will not be panicking. Be sure to plan time for the dough to proof, bake, and cool before icing.
Tip #2: Add a little salt.Most want a good and tender pastry that is not too sweet. Ben said the addition of some salt in the pastry really helps with that.
Tip #3: Let the King Cakes cool completely before decorating. The icing won’t set on a warm pastry.
Father Ben said you can have fun with the flavors.This year at St. Michael’s, the king cake offerings include cherry, creme brulee, and Nutella.
Father Ben says his personal favorite is a savory King Cake. His go-to filling is spinach, roasted garlic, fontina cheese, artichoke hearts, bacon, and smoked red bell peppers.
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit.
For more information about St. Michael Catholic Church, visit www.stmichaelmemphis.org.
