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Puff Pastry King Cake

Puff Pastry King Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 4 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 large egg beaten, for egg wash
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons each purple green and gold sanding sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Lay one pastry sheet flat and spread with half the butter, leaving a 1-inch border.
  • Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle half over the buttered sheet.
  • Repeat with the second sheet, remaining butter and remaining cinnamon sugar.
  • Stack the two sheets with filled sides matching, and roll gently to seal them together.
  • Roll the stacked pastry into a tight log from one long side.
  • Curve the log into a ring on the pan and pinch the ends together to close it.
  • Snip shallow angled slashes around the ring about 1 inch apart with kitchen shears; this is what makes it look braided once it puffs.
  • Brush with beaten egg and bake 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden and puffed.
  • Cool on the pan 20 minutes; puff pastry collapses if moved too soon.
  • Whisk powdered sugar and milk to a thick icing, drizzle over the cooled ring, and band with purple, green and gold sugar before it sets.

Good to Know

Assemble the ring unbaked and freeze up to a month; bake straight from frozen, adding about 5 extra minutes.