This room is based on "The Meal of the Poor" (Le repas des pauvres) painted in 1877 by Alphonse Legros (France, 1837-1911)

Collection Tate, UK.

 

The portrait of Marie-Antoinette was painted by Jean Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty in 1775

Collection Palais de Versailles, France

 

RECIPE Brioche Couronne du Roi (Provencal style)

Also known as the King’s Crown or brioche wreath.

The brioche is eaten during Epiphany.

 

This traditional French Brioche Couronne recipe uses French T45 flour to create a festive, ultra-fluffy crown with a rich, buttery, and shreddable texture.

Alternatives are: Italian Tipo 00 or Dutch ‘patentbloem’ or British strong bread flour.

Using a stand mixer is highly recommended, as rich brioche dough requires extensive kneading to fully build the gluten network.

 

Ingredients

The dough:

500 g French T45 flour (Farine de Gruau)

7 g instant yeast (= 1 packet) or 20g fresh baker’s yeast

60 g caster sugar

6 g salt

50 ml whole milk

6 eggs (approx.. 300 g)

250 g unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature

1 tbs orange blossom water

 

The topping:

1 egg (beaten with 1 tablespoon of milk for the egg wash)

Pearl sugar, for decoration

Candied fruit, for decoration

 

Instructions:

 

The Dough

Mix the lukewarm milk with the yeast and one teaspoon of the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

Add the remaining sugar, flour, and salt to the bowl.

Fit the mixer with the dough hook. Turn it on low speed and add the eggs one by one.

Add the orange blossom water.

Mix until a cohesive, somewhat sticky dough forms (about 4 minutes).

Turn the mixer to medium speed. Add the softened butter cubes one at a time. Wait until each cube is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Once all butter is added, knead the dough on medium-high speed for another 10 to 15 minutes. The dough is ready when it is smooth, shiny, elastic, and pulls away completely from the sides of the bowl.

 

First Rise (Cold Rise)

Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap.

Place the bowl in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight.

Take the cold dough out of the fridge. Gently press it down on a lightly floured surface to deflate it.

Make the hole: Coat your index finger in flour and poke a hole directly through the center of the ball.

Stretch the crown: Gently rotate and stretch the dough from the inside out to widen the hole till at least 15 cm (6 inches) wide.

Place the wreath on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

 

Second Rise

Cover the wreath loosely with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel.

Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1.5 to 2 hours until it doubles in size and feels incredibly puffy and pillowy to the touch.

 

Baking

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

Gently brush the top of the dough with the egg wash.

Sprinkle a generous amount of pearl sugar over the top.

Bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Tip: If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil after 15 minutes.

Decorate with candied fruit.

Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely.