All things King cake
Simply put, we can’t get enough king cake this time of year. From the classic cinnamon version to those filled with fruit and cream cheese, there are endless ways to enjoy this seasonal sweet. Mix it up this Mardi Gras with our rendition of the traditional king cake and five exciting ways to reinvent this festive treat into even more crowd-pleasing favorites.
MINI CUSTARD PIES
MAKES 12
Tarte à la bouille is a traditional and well-loved Cajun custard pie. Colored sugar cookie crumbles add Mardi Gras flair to these miniature versions.
2 cups plus ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened and divided
2¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved, divided
4 cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon green gel food coloring
¼ teaspoon violet gel food coloring
1/16 teaspoon yellow gel food coloring
1 drop brown gel food coloring
3 cups whole milk
8 egg yolks
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 2 cups butter and 1½ cups sugar at medium speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a
