As of Jan 6th, New Orleans is beginning our annual Carnival Season. Going back all the way to colonial times 1700's- 1803 and continuing to the present time, it has been the custom to have King Cakes. It is a brioche dough, braided, and decorated with either sugars of purple, green, & gold (our Mardi Gras colors) or white icing then sprinkled with the sugars. I've made them by hand for many years. This Christmas I treated myself to a Zojirushi BBC20 that I saw in your catalogue. Baked my first loaf yesterday - how easy can it get!! I looked through the instruction booklet for a brioche recipe - but to no avail. Then, I remembered your website. Presto! This is my first time reading these blogs - really interesting. So now I'm psyched up to try your recipe in the machine & then braid it into a giant oval for a King Cake. The grandchildren will be spending the night - so it will be a nice breakfast. Will write a report on it after my experience. Thanks for being there. Great idea, Anne - making the dough for the King Cake in your bread machine. Do you add the plastic baby, or a gold coin, or...? Have fun with the grandchildren - PJH

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