Every year, thousands flock to New Orleans for the annual Mardi Gras celebration: If you can't make it to what some have called "the greatest free show on Earth," you and your family can bake a slice of the fun at home by making this traditional Mardi Gras delicacy.
Ingredients
4-3/4
cups all-purpose flour
1
cup sugar
1-1/2
teaspoons salt
2
envelopes FLEISCHMANN'S® RapidRise™ Yeast
3/4
cup milk
1/2
cup water
1/2
cup butter or margarine
2
large eggs
1/4
cup melted butter or margarine
1
tablespoon ground cinnamon
Powdered Sugar Glaze (recipe follows)
Colored Sugars (recipe follows)
In large bowl, combine 1-1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120° to 130°F). Add to dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
Punch dough down. Remove dough to lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each to 28×4-inch rectangle. Brush melted butter over each rectangle; sprinkle evenly with remaining 3/4 cup sugar and ground cinnamon. Beginning at long end, roll each up tightly as for jellyroll, pinch seams to seal to form ropes. Braid ropes; form braid into oval. Pinch ends together to seal. Place on greased baking sheet. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheet; let cool on wire rack. Brush with Powdered Sugar Glaze; sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
In medium bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted; and 2 to 3 tablespoons milk. Stir until smooth.
Colored Sugars
Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 8 drops of green food coloring in a covered jar or resealable plastic bag. Shake vigorously to evenly mix color with sugar. Repeat procedure with 1/2 cup sugar and yellow food coloring. For purple, combine 8 drops blue and 16 drops red food coloring before adding to 1/2 cup sugar.
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