For this beginning of January, which is in great need of comfort, here is a recipe imagined so as not to have to choose between the gourmet voluptuousness of the frangipane of the northern galettes and the fragrant softness of the southern brioche… a little of both lovingly interwoven in a pretty braid in the manner of the so pretty Estonian krinkles.
The brioche is low in sugar and quite light to create a delicious balance with a rich, fragrant frangipane cream in a citrus/almond combination that is one of my favorites. It’s also the perfect opportunity to use the last of the candied orange and lemon peel if you had made some for Christmas, as a smooth transition into the new year!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it inspires you to enjoy a happy time with your loved ones.
Brioche des rois with frangipane
Servings: 10 portions
Ingredients
For the brioche :
- 17,6 oz flour
- 6,7 oz of milk
- 3,53 oz of butter
- 1 cube of fresh yeast or 2 packets of dried baker's yeast
- 1 whole beaten egg
- 2,12 oz sugar
- 1 teaspoon spoon of salt
- zest of an organic lemon - (optionnal)
For the frangipane :
- 1,76 oz of soft butter
- 1,76 oz of sugar
- 1,76 oz of almond powder
- 1 whole egg
- 0,35 oz of cornstash (Maïzena)
- 1 drop of bitter almond extract - (optionnal)
- 1 tbs of rum or orange blossom water - (optionnal)
- 0,35 g finely chopped candide orange peel
For the decoration :
- 2 tbs of the syrup from the candied oranges - (or agave syrup / liquid honey / maple syrup..)
- 1 dozen of candied orange and lemon peels
- 1 dozen of whole almond
- 1 Fève
Instructions
Preparation of the brioche dough:
- Heat the milk and sugar in a bowl. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the mixture for the brioche glaze.
- Add the butter and heat the mixture until it is melted. Mix well and leave to cool.When the mixture is lukewarm, stir in the yeast and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, weigh the flour and salt into a large bowl or the bowl of your mixer. Add the beaten egg, then the previous mixture.
- Mix and knead for 10 minutes by hand or with the hook of the food processor until the dough is elastic and shiny and comes away from the sides of the bowl.
- Form the dough into a smooth ball and place in a bowl covered with a clean tea towel in a warm, draught-free place (ideally in a closed oven at 40°C).Leave to rise for 1h30 or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preparation of the frangipane :
- In a salad bowl or the bowl of your food processor, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth, then add the almond powder and the egg.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of orange flower water or rum.Carefully fold the cornstarch into the previous mixture until you have a light, smooth cream.
- Finally, add the chopped candied orange peel and 1 drop of bitter almond if you wish.
- Set the mixture aside in a cool place.
Shaping the brioche :
- Once the dough has risen well, roll it out on a lightly floured work surface into a large rectangle 30 cm wide by 50 cm long.
- Cover the brioche dough with a layer of frangipane, leaving a 5 x 50 cm strip without cream on the top.
- Carefully roll out to a 50 cm long sausage. With a brush dipped in the reserved sweetened milk mixture, lightly moisten the part without frangipane to close the roll on itself.
- Using a sharp knife, divide the sausage lengthwise, leaving 1 cm to join the two parts together. Turn the two parts slightly so that the side with the cream faces the sky and gently braid the bun into a crown.This is the most delicate part of the recipe where the cream tends to escape, so take your time and wipe off any excess cream with a teaspoon, it won't be lost on everyone :).
- Carefully weld the beginning and the end of the boudin, trying to respect the braiding of the crown.
Second rising, decoration and baking:
- Once again, leave the brioche to rest in a warm, draft-free place for 30-40 minutes so that it doubles in size (be careful not to let it rise too much so that it doesn't fall apart during baking).
- Preheat the oven to 230°C / 446 °F.
- Soak the whole almonds in a little hot water to prevent them from burning during baking.
- Brush the brioche with the remaining sweet milk mixture and decorate it with the orange and lemon peel and the whole almonds.
- Place in the oven and lower the temperature to 180°C/ 356°F. Bake for 15 minutes.
- When the brioche is well risen and golden, lower the oven temperature to 150°C/302°F and continue baking for another 20 minutes until it is well done.
Finishing:
- Leave the brioche to cool on a rack and, using a brush and the syrup, shine the brioche parts, the orange and lemon peel and the toasted almonds.
- Don't forget to slip the Fève underneath 🙂
- Happy Epiphany!
