Three King's Ring - Tres Reyes

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 1/4-3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup diced mixed candied fruit, and peel
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted almond
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 -2 tablespoon orange juice
• ground cinnamon (optional)
• finely shredded orange rind (optional)

Recipe

• 1 in a large mixing bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast; set aside.
• 2 in a small saucepan heat and stir milk, the 1/3 cup butter, the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and salt just until warm (120 degrees f to 130 degrees f) and butter is almost melted.
• 3 add milk mixture to flour mixture; add eggs.
• 4 make-ahead tip: up to 1 week ahead, bake bread; cool, wrap, and freeze.
• 5 thaw and drizzle with icing before serving.
• 6 beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the side of the bowl constantly.
• 7 beat on high speed for 3 minutes more.
• 8 using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
• 9 turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• 10 knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes total).
• 11 shape the dough into a ball.
• 12 place in a lightly greased bowl; turn once to grease the surface.
• 13 cover and let rise in a warm place until double (1 to 1-1/2 hours).
• 14 punch dough down.
• 15 turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• 16 cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• 17 roll dough into a 20xl2-inch rectangle.
• 18 spread with the 3 tablespoons softened butter.
• 19 for filling, in a small mixing bowl combine the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
• 20 add mixed fruits and peels and almonds; toss gently to coat.
• 21 sprinkle the mixture onto the surface of the dough.
• 22 starting at a long side, loosely roll up dough jelly-roll style.
• 23 moisten edges; pinch firmly to seal.
• 24 place roll, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet.
• 25 bring ends together to form a ring.
• 26 moisten ends; pinch together to seal ring.
• 27 flatten slightly.
• 28 using a sharp knife, make 12 cuts around the edge of the dough at 1-1/2-inch intervals, cutting about two-thirds of the way to the center.
• 29 cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly double (30 to 40 minutes).
• 30 bake in a 350 degree f oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• 31 (if necessary, cover loosely with foil after 20 minutes to prevent overbrowning.) remove from baking sheet; cool on a wire rack.
• 32 for icing, in a small mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and vanilla.
• 33 stir in enough of the orange juice to make an icing of drizzling consistency.
• 34 spoon icing over ring.
• 35 before icing dries, sprinkle with additional cinnamon and orange peel, if desired.