A former Mexican Christmas with method for Rosca de Reyes

The Mexican Christmas festivities last for any weeks, starting on Dec 16th when the first of the Posada parties start. The celebrations remember Mary & Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. Although initially a religious celebration, the Posada parties are now a big group celebration of the holiday season.

Every night until Noche Buena, December 24th, a party is held in a local home. The end to each posada is illustrious by the breaking of piñatas filled with candy and toys. On the night before Christmas, families often attend Midnight Mass together.

Holiday

Although former children had to wait until January 6th, more families are allowing them to open their presents on Christmas Day. However, there are more celebrations to come.

On January 6th which is Epiphany, celebrations include:-

1. Freshly baked Rosca de Reyes - a big oval wreath made out of bread dough and decorated with dried fruit and sugar
2. Chocolate Caliente - steaming mugs of hot chocolate
3. Tamales - can be a lot of work to make - steamed dumplings of rich, spicy filling wrapped in corn dough. There are three leading components to a tamale: the wrapper, the dough and the filling. Although it's rather complicated to make, no-one wonders why after they've taken their first bite!

Recipe for Rosca de Reyes

Ingredients

1 packet yeast

¼ cup of lukewarm milk

3 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups of sugar

7 eggs

125 grams butter

1/4 aniseed

100 grams raisins

1 tsp vanilla

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Pinch of salt

50 grams candied figs

50 grams candied orange

50 grams candied lemon

50 grams candied cherries

50 grams candied citron

1 beaten egg

sugar

flour

1. Heat oven to 360° F ( 180°C)
2. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk
3. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, eggs, butter, cinnamon, aniseed, raisins, vanilla and salt
4. Kneed for five to ten minutes until pliable
5. Place in a bowl, cover with a teatowel and place somewhere warm to rise (1-2 hours)
6. Cut the candied fruits into strips
7. Form the dough into a ring or rosca.
8. Add the baby Jesus figurine.
9. Place the ring on a baking tray decorating the top with the candied fruit.
10. Leave to rise again for 20-30 minutes.
11. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle over with sugar.
12. Bake for 40-45 minutes

Remove from the oven and serve to celebrate Christmas the Mexican way. Remember, tradition says that whoever finds the figurine of the baby Jesus has to host the next party!

A former Mexican Christmas with method for Rosca de Reyes

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