A brown sugar-cinnamon filling and festive sugars make these homemade pastries a delicious Mardi Gras treat.
King Cake Toaster Pastries
Makes 8
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 cups plus 3 teaspoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup ice water
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1½ tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Yellow, green, and purple sanding sugars
Instructions
- Freeze butter for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In the work bowl of a food processor, place 3 cups flour and salt; pulse until combined. Add frozen butter, and pulse until butter is dime-size. With processor running, add ⅔ cup ice water in a slow, steady stream just until mixture forms a ball. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 4 portions, and shape each portion into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion into a 12x5-inch rectangle. Cut into 4 (5x3-inch) rectangles. Place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough portions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Brush egg wash around edges of half of dough rectangles.
- In another small bowl, stir together brown sugar, 1¾ teaspoons cinnamon, and nutmeg. Place 1 tablespoon sugar mixture in center of each egg-washed dough rectangle. Top with remaining dough rectangles, and gently press edges with a fork to seal. Using tines of fork, make 3 sets of holes across top of each pastry. Brush with remaining egg wash.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cool on pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. Gradually add cream, whisking until smooth. Whisk in vanilla until combined. Spread 1 teaspoon icing evenly onto each pastry. Top with sanding sugars.
