This beautiful ring-shaped brioche is called roscón de reyes. We start the year off on the right foot with this spongy brioche filled with sweet chantilly, decorated with a little pearl sugar and a few slices of candied fruit. Pastry traditions like this one, remain a classic that is easy to make at home and fun to make while learning about fermented doughs.
Fancy a little bit of history? The roscón de reyes is a typical Christmas sweet in Spain and, as the story goes, has its origins in ancient Rome. During Roman times, the 6th of January was celebrated with a feast in honour of the Roman gods in which cakes and sweets were handed out to those attending. Over time, this tradition was adapted to the customs of each country and in Spain, the roscón de reyes became the sweet par excellence of this celebration.
The roscón de reyes is a sweet ring-shaped brioche that is usually filled with marzipan, pastry cream, whipped cream or chocolate truffle and is usually decorated with candied fruit, pearl sugar or flaked almonds. In addition, a bean and a ceramic figurine in the shape of a king are usually hidden inside the roscón. The person who finds the bean, according to tradition, is in charge of paying for the roscón, and the person who finds the king symbolically becomes the queen or king of the day by wearing the crown on the roscón as a decoration.
Although the roscón de reyes is a typical Spanish sweet, it is also celebrated in some Latin American countries and in some regions of France and Portugal. I hope you have been entertained by this brief pastry history lesson about the roscón de reyes!
Let’s bake!
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t calculate the exact degree of fermentation?
If you can’t control the temperature, you will have to calculate the size of the roscón as it ferments. It can take up to 2hrs if the temperature is lower than 28ºC.
I recommend putting a boiling pot in the switch off oven, leave it there for at least 10 minutes to create enough heat, remove it and put the roscón to ferment in there.
Another option would be next to a heater, in a small, closed room.
What is the original shape of the roscón?
The original shape of the roscón is a smooth simple ring, but this year I have made my own version of a ring with little balls because I think it is more original and beautiful this way.
Where can I find the candied fruit?
During December and January, it is very easy to find the candied fruit already sliced, in any supermarket in Spain.
If I don’t have a mixer, can I still make the recipe?
Yes, you can make the recipe in the same way, even if you don’t have a mixer, you will simply spend more time kneading until you have a good gluten net. You can always replace a good brioche kneading session with a day at the gym!
Where can I buy W360 flour?
You can buy W360 flour in bulk shops, or specialized bakery shops, or you can simply buy Gallo’s W300 wheat flour in Spain, which is a little looser but creates a good gluten net.
Spanish roscón de reyes
We start the year off on the right foot with this spongy brioche filled with sweet chantilly, decorated with a little pearl sugar and a few slices of candied fruit.
Ingredients
Roscón
- 250g strong flour (W360)
- a pinch of salt
- 50g sugar
- 30g fresh yeast
- 100g whole milk, warm
- ½ egg
- zest of half a lemon
- zest of half an orange
- 10g rum
- 60g unsalted butter, cold
Decoration
- ½ egg, beaten (for painting)
- Candied fruit, sliced
- 25g pearl sugar
Chantilly
- 400g whipping cream, cold
- 20g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a dough mixer, with the dough hook on, knead the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, milk, egg, zests and rum for 20 minutes at high speed.
- Incorporate the diced cold butter, in three times, waiting for the dough to absorb the butter little by little each time.
- Continue kneading for about 10 minutes more, in total it’ll be about 30 minutes of kneading at high speed to develop the gluten mayonnaise well.
- Let the dough rest for 20 minutes, so you can work the dough better in the next step.
- Form 7 small balls, each weighing 70g, and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover the dough with cling film and leave to rise at 28°C for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- Remove the cling film and paint the surface of the dough with the egg using a kitchen brush, so that it browns well in the oven.
- Decorate with the candied fruit and the pearl sugar.
- Bake at 180ºC with heat from below for 10 minutes, and then with heat from above for a further 5 minutes to brown.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cut the roscón with a serrated knife, fill with chantilly and don't forget to hide the ceramic figures of the king and the bean!
- Using an electric whisk, whip the cold cream on medium-high speed.
- When it starts to thicken, add the icing sugar and vanilla.
- Place the whipped cream in a piping bag with a star nozzle and fill the inside of the cooled roscón.
ROSCÓN
CHANTILLY
Notes
- The roscón de reyes can be consumed up to a maximum of 24hrs after baking in my opinion, so I bake it at night and the next morning it still has a perfect tender texture without having dried out. I keep it out of the fridge in a dry place in the house and well covered, and the next morning is when I fill it and it is finally consumed within a few hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 102Amount Per Serving: Calories: 292kcalTotal Fat: 13.73gSaturated Fat: 8.05gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 226mgCarbohydrates: 35.61gFiber: 0.9gSugar: 13.98gProtein: 5.97g
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