6 January 2012

the king cake







the king cake is a traditional portuguese cake that is usually eaten during the holiday season up until the "dia dos reis" (literally day of kings, a reference to the magi) on january the 6th. the cake is round with a hole in the centre, resembling a crown covered with crystallized and dried fruit.
the "bolo rei" is baked from a soft egg dough, with raisins, nuts and pieces of crystallized fruit. also included inside is a "fava" (dried broad bean), and tradition dictates that whoever finds the "fava" has to pay for the "bolo rei" next year. initially, a small gift was also included within the cake. however, the inclusion of this gift (usually a small metal trinket) was forbidden by the european union citing safety reasons ... "from wikipedia with minor adaptations by me"

today is a magical day ... let's celebrate! *
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hoje é um dia mágico ... vamos celebrar! *