"We Three Kings of Orient Are, Bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star, O, O, Star of Wonder, Star of Night, Star of Royal Beauty Bright, Westward leading still proceeding guide us to Thy Perfect Light!"
As we prepare ourselves for this climactic finish to our Christmas Feasting, let us be like the Three Wise Kings and remember that we need to bear these gifts at Christ's altar whenever we approach, with humility, love and joy for our everlasting king!
We will be celebrating Epiphany with this yummy recipe for Three Kings Bread from one of my favorite Christmas cookbooks, The Christmas Kitchen by Lorraine Bodger!!
Mexican Three Kings Bread
2 packages dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons/package) Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir with a warm spoon to dissolve the yeast, set aside for a few minutes. Scald the milk and pour it into a large bowl. Stir in the butter, sugar and salt and let the mixture cool to lukewarm. Add the yeast mixture and stir to blend. Add the eggs and beat well. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour and beat to make a smooth batter. Stir in the walnuts and chopped cherries. Beat in the remaining flour by hand, 1/2 cup at a time, to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about ten minutes. Sprinkle often with flour to keep from sticking. Put the dough in a buttered bowl and turn all around to coat with butter. Cover with a clean towel and place in a draft-free place to double in bulk, about two hours.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and punch down. Cut in six equal pieces and let rest for ten minutes. Meanwhile grease the cookie sheets.
Thick Vanilla Glaze There are many wonderful traditions and ideas to be discovered at Catholic Culture. Here's a few other things we will be doing to enjoy the Epiphany: I hope you are able to enjoy some of these lovely traditions and please share if I've missed one of your favorite ways to celebrate this Feast! By the way, have you ever had an "epiphany". Here's the definition: A blessed Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord to you all!!
1/2 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margerine
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
5 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped red glace cherries
1/2 cup chopped green glace cherries
save some cherry halves for decorating too
Thick Vanilla Glaze (recipe follows)
Roll each piece of dough into a rope 23 inches long. Braid three ropes together and transfer to prepared cookie sheet, shape the braid into a ring and pinch ends together. Repeat with the other three ropes and the second cookie sheet. Cover each ring with a dish towel. Warm the oven for a few seconds and turn off the heat. Place rings in the oven to rise a second time, until puffy and almost doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 20 minutes until golden brown. Use a spatula to loosen rings and slide onto wire racks to cool.
While the braids are still very warm, spread with Thick Vanilla Glaze and decorate with the red and green cherry halves, perhaps in the shape of a Pointsettia! Enjoy!
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons milk or cream
2 pinches salt
6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Beat or whisk ingredients together in the order given, until smooth. If necessary, thin the glaze, prevent a crust from forming by pressing a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface.
A sudden manifestation of the essence or meaning of something.
A comprehension or perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization, revelatory manifestation of a divine being.
I will be pondering these meanings as I ponder the Baby Jesus in his manger receiving his gifts from the Magi!