Roscón de Reyes: Spanish Three Kings' Cake with Candied Fruit
·Prepping the fruit
Slice the orange, cut the peeled kiwi into rounds, and pat the cherries dry. Blanch the orange slices three times in boiling water (boiling for 3 minutes each time and discarding the water) to remove the bitterness and get them ready for candying.
Sugar syrup
In a wide pot, dissolve the sugar in water and bring to a boil. Add the blanched orange slices and simmer over medium heat for about 40 minutes, until the peel turns glossy and translucent and the syrup thickens.
Finishing the candying
Remove the oranges and briefly dip the kiwi and cherries into the hot syrup. Just a quick dip, so the kiwi doesn't lose its colour in the heat! Spread everything out on baking paper and let it dry, ideally overnight.
Fragrant base
In the mixer bowl, rub the sugar between your fingers with fresh orange zest to release all its aroma. Meanwhile, warm the milk in a saucepan to 32 °C, so the yeast in the dough wakes up nicely and gets to work.
Mixing the dough
Into the mixer bowl, add the flour, orange-scented sugar, yeast, salt, warm milk and orange blossom water. Add two whole eggs plus half of a third one (keep the rest in a cup for brushing later).
Kneading the dough
Knead for about 5 minutes, until the ingredients come together. Start adding the softened butter to the dough cube by cube, and knead on medium speed for a further 10–15 minutes. The dough should be elastic, glossy and no longer sticky.
Proofing the dough
Shape the worked dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave it to rest in a warm spot for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
Shaping the dough
Tighten the dough into a ball and press a hole through the centre with your finger. Stretch the dough out into a larger ring. From underneath, you can discreetly push in a whole almond or a small figurine for the future king.
Decorating before baking
Let the wreath prove on the baking tray for 45 minutes. Then brush it with the remaining beaten egg and decorate with candied fruit, almond flakes and sugar. Don't be shy with it – the more colourful, the merrier the royal table! Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
Baking
Bake the wreath until golden, for 25–30 minutes. After 20 minutes, check that the fruit isn't browning too much, and cover it with a piece of foil if needed. Once baked, let the Roscón cool completely on a wire rack.
Whipped cream filling
Whip the cold cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff. Slice the cooled wreath in half horizontally and pipe on a generous layer of cream using a piping bag. Top with the upper half, and let the royal feast begin!