Mardi Gras Kings Cake (optional Bread Machine Version)

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees f/45 degrees c)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Recipe

• 1 1.scald milk with lemon zest, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. allow mixture to cool to room temperature. in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• 2 2.when yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. whisk in the eggs. stir in the remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg. beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. when the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• 3 3.lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. when risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
• 4 for bread machine: add liquid in bread machine. add dry ingredients. add yeast. start dough procedure.
• 5 4.preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c). grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• 6 5.to make filling: combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
• 7 6.roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. with scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• 8 7.bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. push the doll into the bottom of the cake. frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.