Rosca Bolo Rei, Twelfth Night bread

Rosca Bolo Rei

Happy New Year! It’s been a while, a couple of weeks holiday was needed and what a great way to start 2015! I’ve been baking like mad lately.
This recipe has many variations throughout the world. Some recipes are cake-like, and some are more bread-like.  This recipe is the  Portuguese yeast bread version, which is  traditionally served to celebrate Epiphany on the 6th of January.  According to Christian tradition, it would be the day that the newborn Jesus Christ had been visited by “the wise men from the East”, Three Wise Men.

The night of the 5th and morning of the 6th January is known as “Twelfth Night”. The date marks, for Catholics, the day for worship of the three wise men, this custom arose in the eighth century. This cake is just one of the many types baked around the world for celebrations during the Twelve Days of Christmas and Twelfth Night. This date marks the end of Catholic Christmas festivities – and the day that the cribs are unarmed. Therefore,  all the Christmas decorations are removed.
Tradition says to hide a mini crown, a figure of the baby Jesus or a vanilla bean to present the guest who finds them.  In Spain, it’s the day of exchange of presents. Tradition has it that the Wise men arrive on January the 6th bearing gifts.

This cake has many different recipes and variations, but the main characteristic is the shape of a crown. The dough is contains white bread flour or all-purpose flour, complemented with butter and eggs, enhanced with raisins, pine nuts, and orange and lemon zest, and topped with candied fruits, sugar, and citrus zest.  I particularly don’t like the candied fruits and citrus, so I added sour cherries. The flavors can be customized according to taste.  It is formed into a large ring shape and baked until golden. The name Rosca, in this case,  means confectionery in the form of ring, in this case of the crown and sometimes can be twisted and rounded too.  A similar recipe known as “Twelfth Night Bread” or Roscon de Reyes,  is the Spanish version of this bread.

Bolo Rei

This recipe is great to use up fruits and nuts leftover from Christmas!
Keep an eye on the oven. I overdone it a bit!

Bolo Rei, recipe

makes a big round bread, family size.

Ingredients
For the sponge
     1 tablespoon sugar (10g)
     3 yeast tablets for bread (45g)
    50ml  of warm milk
     1/2 cup of wheat flour (120ml)

For the dough
     1/2 cup sugar (100g)
     1/2 cup of warm milk (120ml)
     100 g of butter, softened
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     100ml of wine port (1/2 glass)
     2 whole eggs, medium
     2 egg yolks
     400g wheat flour (1.5 cups + 2 tablespoons)
     200 g of chopped nuts
     200 g raisins
     100g sour cherries, chopped ( or any other dried fruits of choice)

For decoration
oil (15ml/ 1tbsp)  and 1 egg yolk, mixture
granulated Sugar
cherries and any other dried fruits you wish

Method

SPONGE
1)mix the yeast in a small bowl with the sugar until very creamy.
2)add the warm milk and then the flour.
3)Mix well and let rise until mixture is like a sponge full of holes and bubbly.

DOUGH
1)In a mixer, put a little less than half of the flour and the yeast (sponge)
2)Add also the sugar, egg yolks, eggs, butter, salt, milk and the port.
3)Use the paddle mixer the batter  beating at maximum speed.
4)Pull the flour that get stuck on the sides of the bowl and add more flour.
5)Beat well. (You can knead with your hands but takes longer)
6) let the dough rest. the dough will rise and double the size
7)Do not let the cold air flow or it will collapse.
8)Sprinkle a surface with flour.
9)With a little flour on your hands, roll the dough out, giving a rounded shape.
10) Place the raisins and nuts, and tighten by turning the sides.
11) Sprinkle flour always to not stick. Make a roll and then cut in half. Turn the roll into a ball.
12) take a round cake pan, turn upside down and grease with butter. Roll out the dough on the bottom of the pan, like a tyre.
13) Place the dough on a greased aluminium tray keeping the round shape of the dough
14)Place the pan with the dough in a plastic bag and let rise again.
15) Pre-heat the oven to 200C conventional/ 180C (fan)/ gas mark 6
16)After the dough has risen, brush with a mixture of egg yolk and  tablespoon of sunflower oil. Garnish with nuts and dried fruits of choice and  a sprinkle of granulated sugar.
17)Bake in moderate pre-heated oven (180C, fan) until golden, about 30-40 minutes.  Keep an eye, as it burns easily.
Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.
For a cake-like version check my recipe here: Bolo Rei