At Nivia Born Boutique Hotel, we love to introduce you to the most endearing customs of Christmas so that you can share them with those you love the most. If you’re looking to sweeten the festive season and surprise your friends or family, we can recommend preparing a homemade Roscón de Reyes (King’s Cake), one of the most delicious and fun Spanish festive traditions.
Ingredients
You’ll need: 400 g strong flour, 70 g butter at room temperature, 100 g sugar, 2 eggs, 20 ml rum (liqueur), 100 ml water, 30 ml milk, zest of 1 orange, 20 g pressed yeast, ½ teaspoon orange blossom water, 1 pinch of salt, sliced almonds, candied fruit (optional, as not everyone likes it) and granulated sugar.
Preparation
- Preparation of the dough
- Place 350 g of flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the sugar, the yeast (dissolved in the warm water), the rum, the milk, the orange zest, the orange blossom water and the butter. Mix lightly, then add one of the eggs and the pinch of salt.
- Kneading
- Combine the ingredients thoroughly in the bowl, then when the dough begins to take consistency, transfer it to a floured surface. Knead until it is elastic and comes off the surface easily. It is preferable for the dough to be slightly sticky rather than dry, so that the cake retains the right amount of moisture.
- Shaping the cake
- Form the dough into a ball and carefully make a hole in the centre. Gently stretch and enlarge the dough to give it the typical doughnut shape. Place the dough on a baking tray and let it rise in a warm place for at least one hour, until it has doubled in size.
- Baking
- Preheat the oven to 200 ºC. Paint the cake with the other beaten egg and decorate with candied fruit, flaked almonds and granulated sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.
How to enjoy your Roscón de Reyes
Ideally, it should be enjoyed while still warm, accompanied by a hot chocolate, coffee, tea or a glass of milk. If you wish, you can vary the top decoration with more or less candied fruit or even fill it with cream, custard or truffle for a more festive touch. If there are any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container to preserve their freshness, or even freeze them for later use.
We encourage you to prepare this Roscón de Reyes at home and share it with your loved ones. We at Nivia Born Boutique Hotel hope you enjoy this sweet tradition that combines the creativity of confectionery with the magic of Christmas. Happy New Year and bon appétit!