Instructions: ROSCA DE REYES (Kings Round Loaf - Exclusively for January 6): This is handy and I remembered it had a big section on Fiesta and Special-Occasion Dishes.

Place one-third of the flour in a mound on a board and make a depression in the center. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and pour into center of mound, mixing it a little at a time with the flour. Knead, then form into a ball. Make two incisions forming a cross on the top of the ball and place in a floured bowl. Cover with napkin and let stand in a warm place until it is twice its original size.

Mix butter, sugar and salt with milk and cook over moderate heat for about two minutes. Pour half of the mixture into a depression made in a mound of the other two-thirds of the flour. Add two eggs and the orange blossom water. Mix thoroughly with the flour and when lukewarm, add the dough which has fermented. Knead well, adding the rest of the milk mixture and two more eggs. When the dough is smooth, add citron, orange peel and lemon rind.

Place in a greased pan, cover with napkin and allow it to stand twenty-four hours.

Shape dough into a large circle with a hole in the center, place on a greased baking pan and allow to stand until it has swelled almost to twice its original size. Moisten the tope with a brush dipped in remaining egg, sprinkle with sugar and dot with small pieces of additional citron. Bake at 400F for thirty minutes or longer.

Yield: one very large ring or twelve
to fifteen servings.

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