Bolo Rainha - Portuguese Queen's Cake

his cake is basically the same as the King's Cake, but without all the crystallized fruit.

Yeast

25g active yeast
2tsp granulated sugar
100g all purpose flour
75ml warm milk

Dough

100g de seedless raisins
1tsp finely grated lemon rind
1tsp finely grated orange rind
75ml brandy

150g butter
150g granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
600g all purpose plain wheat flour
75ml warm milk

100g chopped almonds
100g chopped walnuts
50g pine nuts

Topping

About 200g various nuts (whole and chopped almonds, walnuts, pine nuts)
1 egg
Apricot Jam (optional)
Icing Sugar


Prepare the yeast mixture

In a small bowl mix together the yeast, sugar and flour and enough warm milk to create a smooth dough. Cover and set aside to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or until it has doubled in size

Instructions:

In another bowl add the raisins, grated lemon and orange peel and brandy. Leave to soak up the liquid while you prepare the dough.

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, adding a little of the flour now and then if you feel the mixture will curdle. Using a spoon, gradually beat in half of the remaining flour and the milk.

Then add the yeast mixture to the dough making sure it is evenly blended together.

Add the almonds, walnuts and pine nuts.

Lightly mix in as much of the remaining flour as you need to create a sticky bread like dough and until all the nuts are evenly covered by the dough.

Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it has doubled in size.

Take the dough and knead for about one minute, then shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking tray.

Using your thumbs, open up a hole in the middle of the dough so that you are left with a wreath shape about 25cms wide. You can grease a small empty food jar with vegetable oil and place it in the middle of the wreath to keep the hole open while you work on the topping.

Topping

Decorate the wreath with almonds, walnuts and pine nuts. Beat the egg add a little water and brush over the wreath. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it has doubled in size. Remove the food jar and bake in a preheated over at 190 degrees C for about 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Glaze with a little apricot jam if you wish and dust with icing sugar.

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