A Mardi Gras celebration isn’t much of a party without a piece of King Cake. Often containing a filling or surprise (such as a coin or small trinket), this tasty sweet yeast bread is a traditional Mardi Gras treat. The dough for King Cake is braided and shaped into a circle to represent a crown. White icing and colored sugar decorates the cake in the time-honored colors of Mardi Gras – gold (power), purple (justice), and green (faith).

Local bakeries stock up on King Cake to satisfy Mardi Gras celebrators, but nothing beats a homemade creation. The dough usually contains eggs, flour, powdered milk, butter, salt, warm water, and yeast. Sugar, egg, and softened cream cheese serve as a typical filling. A streusel topping of cinnamon, sugar, and toasted pecans may cover the cake. Glazes often contain softened butter, powdered sugar, and milk. Beyond the colorful display of King Cake, awaken your kitchen with the tantalizing scents of other Mardi Gras desserts, such as:

Pain Perdu

This deep-fried version of French toast involves softening hard bread by dipping it in a mixture of eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and milk, and then deep-frying or pan-frying in butter. New Orleans Pain Perdu is typically made with leftover New Orleans-style French bread – similar to a French baguette, but with a crunchier exterior and lighter interior. Pain Perdu is either served with powdered sugar, jam, or flavored syrups.

Bananas Foster

Topping ripe bananas with a warm, syrupy topping consisting of brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, rum, and banana liqueur over scoops of vanilla ice cream, Bananas Foster originated in New Orleans. Often times, the dessert is set afire after the addition of alcohol – a cooking technique known as flambé.

Pralines

This New Orleans confection is comprised of chopped pecans, heavy cream, and sugar. Louisiana first enjoyed this sweet treat when French settlers took full advantage of the local sugar cane and pecan trees. During the 19^th century, chefs in New Orleans used pecans instead of the European preference of almonds and added cream to thicken the dessert.