A Fiesta of Food~Rosca de Reyes

December 5th~Rosca De Reyes with Dylan Fajardo-Anstine

The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council (CHAC) and partners (Metro State University Chicano/a/x Studies and Journey Through Our Heritage and Colorado Folk Arts Council),  invites you to celebrate the holidays virtually with Cooking with CHAC Fiesta Foods for the Holidays! These events are free and open to the public. Food is an important part of our cultural heritage, a way to spend time together and nourish mind, body and spirit.

On January 6th in Mexico friends and family gather to celebrate Epiphany (Dia de los  Reyes/ Day of the Three Wise Men). Children leave out their shoes during the night to receive their gifts from the Three Wise Men. Rosca de Reyes is wreath shaped bread that is a part of the Epiphany Celebrations. Rosca de Reye will be taught by Denver Native Dylan Fajardo-Anstine. In west Denver her great auntie taught her how to cook at the age of 8. This began her love for the kitchen and culinary arts. Dylan has studied at Instituto Universitario de Oaxaca, in Mexico. There she learned traditional Oaxacan cuisine. Later she worked in a three-Michelin star restaurant in Spain.  El Cellar De Can Roca, refining her skills further.

Directions/Ingredients  

Bread

2 envelope active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup warm milk

1 stick of butter room temperature

3 ½ to 4 cups flour ( depending on dough consistency)

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Zest of one orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

Egg Wash

1 egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Confectioners’ Sugar Topping

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

3  tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon milk

Fruit Garnish

Candied dried fruit, such as cherries, figs, oranges, lemons, mango or pineapple

Sliced almonds

2 or 3 plastic baby dolls

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375℉. Lightly coat baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.

Pour warm water into a bowl, sprinkle with yeast. Stir with a fork until yeast has dissolved, let stand for 10 minutes until frothy. Stir in ½ cup of the flour, and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 15 minutes.

In another bowl, mix  2 cups of flour, eggs, warm milk, sugar, orange zest , vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and butter. Blend until mixture is thoroughly incorporated. Then add the yeast mixture to form dough. Next gradually add 2 cups of the remaining flour to mixture. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. (Dough should not feel dry but soft and slightly tacky.)Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let dough rise in a warm place 1 to 1 ½ hours or till double.

While the dough is resting, mix the Confectioners’ Sugar Toppingin medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Divide in 6 equal pieces. Wrap with plastic wrap. Set aside.

After dough has risen ,punch down; turn out on lightly floured surface. Roll dough to a 20x12-inch rectangle and create a wreath shaped form. Place on greased baking sheet, cover again until double in size.

After dough wreath has risen ,brush with egg wash. Then roll pieces of Confectioners’ Sugar Topping into 3-inch long by 1 1/2-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips decoratively on dough ring. Add candied fruit pieces and sliced almonds as desired. Brush the dough with the egg wash again for a golden crust. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 15 more minutes until bread is a nice golden brown color. Depending on your oven it will require more time (baking time will vary and can be as long as 30 minutes)

Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool. After the bread has cooled insert the plastic baby dolls from the bottom of the bread.