Mini Mardi Gras King Cakes

Total Time: 31 mins Preparation Time: 1 min Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 2 1/4 ounces pkg dry yeast
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
• additional sugar to make colored sprinkles
• glaze
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Recipe

• 1 proof yeast in warm water until bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• 2 mix raised yeast with rest of roll dough ingredients, flour your hands, and knead until dough is elastic (will still be sticky! keep flouring your hands).
• 3 on floured surface, roll dough out into an 8" x 12" rectangle,
• 4 blend cream cheese, sugar, and almond flavoring. spread mixture atop dough, all the way to edges. slice width-wise into 12 one-inch strips.
• 5 carefully roll up into pinwheels and place in nonstick muffin tins (i like to use paper muffin cups; gold or silver ones are pretty for mardi gras) and let rise in warm place until double in volume.
• 6 bake at 350 until tops are slightly golden.
• 7 mix glaze well, and spoon over warm muffins. while the glaze is still sticky, mix three small bowls of colored sugar---yellow, green, and purple, using food coloring. sprinkle over tops.
• 8 laissez les bons temps rouler! you can start your lenten fast the next day -- .