Rosca de reyes = brioche des rois

Ingredients

• 30 grs dry yeast
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 5 cups bread flour, sifted
• 225 gr unsalted butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of azahar water or orange blossom tea
• 1 teaspoon of orange extract
• 1 cup orange peel mixed with 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup cristalized dried fruit such as raisins, fig..
• 4 munequitos (plastic mini figurines)

Decorating dough:

• 1/3 cup of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup flour

Decoration:

• egg wash
• 2 cristalized figs, cut in strips
• 2 cristalized orange peel, cut in strips

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Preparation

• Rosca dough:
  Disolve the yeast in the water with 2 spoons of flour, let rest til mixture becomes foamy. In the standing mixing machine (with the dough hook) mix flour, eggs, yolks, milk, sugar,salt, azahar water and yeast. Mix until form a dough. Gradually add the rest of the butter and the sugared orange zest (remove any liquids from it before adding the zest to the dough).Mix until you have a very soft dough (like a brioche). Let rest in a bowl, covered with a towel until it doubles in volumen.
• Masa for decorating:
  Beat butter, gradually add the icing sugar, the yolks and the flour until you have a thick paste.Reserve.
• Rosca shaping:
  Preheat oven at 180C. Lightly beat the dough again ( by hand). Then form a long log, fill it with the crystallized fruit, add the munequitos. Shape the log in a oval form by joining both ends, seal it with egg wash. Let rest (in a baking sheet) until it has double in volume. Put a thin coat of egg wash on the Rosca, decorate with the decorating dough and the fruit (as in the picture). Bake for 30 minutes or until is golden on the outside.