Chef Ronald Jimenez
Lisbon Bakery
This traditional Portuguese sweet bread is a Christmas favourite in Winnipeg, Portugal and Mexico. Bolo Rei translates to “King’s Cake”, a reference to the three wise men in the Christmas story, and celebrates Christmas day, or “Dia de Reis”.
Ingredients
Dough
1 1/2 cups candied/dried nuts
2 cups candied/dried fruit
1 cup Port wine
5 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
5 eggs (keep 1 for garnish)
1 cup salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Method
Dough
- Chop candied fruits and nuts, mix together, add 1 cup Port wine and let rest.
- In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water. Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Cover with cloth and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
- Beat butter with sugar, lemon and orange zest. Add 4 eggs, beating after each addition, and add yeast.
- Add the rest of the flour and salt, kneading until mixture is elastic and soft.
- Add 3/4 of nut and fruit mixture to dough and knead again. Keep remaining nuts and fruit mixture for garnish.
- Shape the dough, sprinkle with flour and cover with a cloth, letting it rise for 3 hours or until doubled in volume.
- Put the dough on a round 14-inch cake tray and make a hole in the middle.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Garnish
- Brush the cake with 1 beaten egg yolk and brush the entire surface.
- Decorate with remaining fruits and nut mixture, and sprinkle with powdered sugar over the cake.
- Bake for 40 to 55 minutes.
Yield 1 large wreath