The Mexican Bakery Masterclass Series
Chapter 8: Rosca de Reyes
Discover the history and artistry behind rosca de reyes. Chef Alex walks through dough development and decoration, from mixing to the finishing touches. Learn three delicious variations, including almond, chocolate, and the traditional rosca de reyes. Whether you're honoring family traditions or adding seasonal specialties to your baking repertoire, you'll master the techniques that make this festive bread the centerpiece of January celebrations.
Here's What’s Covered - Timeline
Note: References to page numbers in the masterclass do not correlate to the book’s recipes. See Chapter 8 recipes starting on page 172 in The Mexican Bakery.
06:30 - Essential equipment and the mise en place for preparing rosca de reyes
12:05 - King Arthur all-purpose flour: why protein content matters for consistency in dough
13:16 - Instant yeast vs. active dry yeast: understanding the differences and when to use each
17:10 - Dough temperature control and yeast activity
23:58 - Mixing techniques and ingredient additions: using paddle and dough hooks to develop the rich rosca de reyes dough
32:10 - How to create almond filling from scratch
44:25 - Learn to make the signature rosca sugar topping
59:40 - Fermentation strategies and understanding how dough responds to mixing & temperature
1:04:15 - See how to divide and shape the dough for the roscas
1:27:10 - Filling and shaping the rosca de reyes de alemendra (almond variation)
1:30:09 - Filling techniques for the rosca de reyes de chocolate (chocolate variation)
1:42:25 - Best practices for proofing (proofing box example)
1:52:23- Applying the sugar topping in traditional crisscross patterns
2:07:11 - Decorating with glazed fruits, chocolate chips, and sugar blends
2:37:10 - Oven specs and recognizing key baking indicators
2:42:27 - Adding guava paste to finish the roscas