Today is Fat Tuesday, also know as Mardi Gras, though Mardi Gras festivities run from January through Fat Tuesday. It has an interesting history, which you can read here. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy learning about Mardi Gras and my gluten free King Cake recipe. It is similar to cinnamon rolls but left in one piece, shaped into a circle, and contains more butter. You may also fill it with any of the suggestions below or your favorite. Next time I want to try it with my Custard and Comstock or Wilderness brand apple pie filling.
UPDATE: Because this turned out heavy, I would instead, use the dough from my Fluffy Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls Recipe instead of this dough.
What Is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras begins January 6, 12 days after Christmas, the Epiphany, also called Three Kings Day, Twelfth Night, and Three Kings’ Day. In the Catholic religion, Epiphany represents when the three Kings visited baby Jesus. The Epiphany was the realization that Jesus was the human son of God. Celebrations and parades last for weeks and ends today, Fat Tuesday.
What Is Fat Tuesday?
In French, Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. Fat Tuesday is never on the same day because Easter Sunday is never on the same day each year. Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is the last of partying before Ash Wednesday begins, the beginning of Lent, when Catholics give up certain things until Easter. This represents the sacrifice Jesus made when he died on the cross for mankind.
The Best Time to Go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras
If you ever wish to go to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, the prime time is the the weekend before Fat Tuesday, when the largest parades are held. Though on Fat Tuesday, there is also a big parade.
King Cake
One of the Mardi Gras traditions is King Cake. Traditionally King Cakes were round, now made in various shapes, with a baby or other trinket inside. The one who finds the trinket is king! King Cake is a Louisiana delicacy made from brioche, a sweet, rich yeast cake dough. Much like a coffee cake, it may filled with your choice of fillings. I chose caramel and nuts for a praline-like flavor. You can fill it with a cream cheese and strawberry filling or apples, nuts, brown sugar and raisins. Or skip the apple and just use the other ingredients.
The Baby in the Cake
A baby, representing baby Jesus, is placed inside the cake. If baking a baby inside, it should be porcelain. Historically, other trinkets were added such as coins, beans, pecans, and peas. In recent times, a plastic King Cake baby is pushed into the bottom if a King Cake after it is baked.
The Meaning of the Purple, Green and Gold Sugar
The cake is decorated with colored sugars which each represent something. Purple represents Justice, green represents Faith, and gold represents Power. You will notice that mardi gras strands of beads are the same color.
More Photos!
I have photos of just about all of the steps. If you need to see any of them, leave a comment below and I will post the ones you need.
A delicious gluten free King Cake recipe, a New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition. Fill with caramel and pecans, any of the suggestions filling, or your own creation.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Tips
Instead of using sugar crystals, you also add food coloring to each third of the glaze.
Feel free to add additional butter; however, the dough will be harder to handle. Just refrigerate the dough after folding the dough over the filling to allow it to firm up again.
Don't do what I did with the colored sugar. First section off what areas you will be placing the sugar. Use multiples of three such as 9, 12 or 15. This way you will not have an even colored pattern. You never want to end in two color meeting together. At least I didn't do that. I just didn't leave enough room to add yellow one more time.
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