3 Kings - Roscon Recipe

There are a number of different variations on the traditional Roscón de Reyes, but all are based on the original and traditional recipe.  The Roscon is basically a sweet bread ring, baked and decorated with dried fruit.  Sometimes it has a surprise in the middle, or can be sliced in half and stuffed with cream. 

Ingredients:

• 500g flour
• 125g sugar
• 125g butter
• 12g yeast
• 2 or 3 eggs
• 1/4 litre milk
• lemon or orange zest
• pinch of salt
• water
• almonds and dried fruit for decoration

Method:

• Warm the milk and dissolve the yeast in the milk.
• Mix it with 175g of flour and a pinch of salt. 
• Knead the dough until all ingredients are mixed together.
• Make the dough into a ball and place in a covered dish.
• Leave to rise for an hour in a warm place (it should double in size).
• In another bowl put the remaining 325g of flour, the sugar, melted butter, eggs and a dash of water, as well as the lemon or orange zest.
• Mix well.
• When the dough has doubled in size, mix well with the other ingredients and form into a ball, adding some oil to keep it moist.
• Then place it in a covered bowl and leave for 3 hours in a warm place (again it should double in size).

When the hour is up, paint the top of the roscon with a beaten egg, decorate with the dried fruit and place in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 45 minutes.After 3 hours, remove the ball of dough and shape it into a ring, then place on a greased baking tray, cover with a cloth and leave for another hour (again, it should double in size).