Magi's Pie

Ingredients:

Pie

• 0.5 cups of warm water
• 1 packet (2 and 1/4 tsp or 7 g) of active dry yeast
• 565 g flour + 2 - 3 tbsp flour for dusting
• 150 g sugar, if you like it sweeter, add another 1/4 cup.
• 3 large eggs
• 3 egg yolks mixed with 4 tablespoons of milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tbsp orange extract
• 170 g softened butter + extra for greasing the bowl and film
• Freshly grated zest of 1 orange

Topping

• 1 egg yolk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 6 tablespoons margarine or vegetable fat
• 0.5 cup powdered sugar
• Dried fruits such as figs, candied orange and citron peel, strips of quince jam or maraschino cherries*
• 1 beaten egg for glazing the cake
• 1 tbsp. whole milk or water
• White sugar for sprinkling the pie
• 2 - 3 plastic baby figurines

Preparation:

1. Pour warm water into a bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Stir in 0.5 cups of flour and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place for 25 minutes, until the mixture doubles in size.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, eggs, yolks, sugar, orange extract, orange zest, salt, and butter. Mix until crumbly. You can mix the dough by hand or with a mixer.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl and mix. The dough will be very sticky but pliable; add more flour if needed. Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. This will take about 15-20 minutes, or 7 minutes in a stand mixer. DO NOT add too much flour to the work surface; the dough should be very soft, moist, but pliable. If you add more flour than necessary, your cake will turn out dry.
4. Once the dough is soft and smooth, transfer it to an oiled bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap. It should be moist and elastic. Place the dough in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1.5 hours. Your kitchen needs to be warm to ensure the dough rises properly. If the dough hasn't doubled in size after this time, let it rest longer. The fermentation process brings out the aroma and flavor of the baked goods, so a slow and long fermentation is always better than a fast one.
5. While the dough is rising, mix the following decoration ingredients: margarine and powdered sugar until creamy. Then add the flour and egg yolk, mixing until smooth.
6. After the dough has risen for the first time, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it briefly. Then, shape it into a round ball and poke a hole in the center to create a ring. Transfer the dough to a greased, rimmed baking sheet and cover loosely with greased plastic wrap. Set in a warm place until doubled in size, at least 45 minutes. Prepare all the decorations and the egg mixture by mixing the remaining egg with milk or water.
7. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) 20 minutes before baking, with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
8. Brush the dough twice with the egg wash to create a golden crust. Form stripes of sugar paste and decorate the dough. Arrange dried fruit on the surface of the ring, gently pressing them into the dough. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F) and bake for another 10 minutes, until the pie is golden brown. Depending on your oven, this may take longer. (Some take 30 minutes.)
9. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Once cool, insert plastic figures through the bottom. Don't forget to let your guests know there's a surprise inside. The Magi cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
   
   

   Note

   
   Before you start baking, please read the entire recipe carefully.
   
   Make sure you have everything you need for the pie.
   
   The ingredients should be slightly warm, as indicated in the recipe.
   Don't forget to turn on the oven 20 minutes before baking to allow the dough to rise better.
   
   The plastic figurine can be inserted into the pie either before or after baking.
   
   If you can't find the ingredients for traditional decoration, you can use prunes, pecans, walnuts, or a mixture of dried fruits.