#Citrus and Praliné Kings' Crown recipe

[askwhatsforlunch]

Citrus and Praliné Kings' Crown

This year's Kings' Crown is a celebration of its Southern France origins, as it is filled and glazed with lemon and bergamot marmalades I brought back from Menton this Summer. And it could only be paired with best of pralinés, the Luxury version I made at Christmas. This Citrus and Praliné Kings' Crown is fit for Queens and Kings indeed! Happy Epiphany!

Ingredients (makes 1 brioche):

4 cups strong white flour

1/3 cup caster sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 lemon

4 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

1 heaped tablespoon Confiture de Citron de Menton (Lemon Marmalade)

1 heaped tablespoon Confiture de Bergamote de Menton (Bergamot Marmalade)

2 tablespoons Luxury Praliné 

a fève*

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon Confiture de Citron de Menton (Lemon Marmalade)

1 teaspoon Confiture de Bergamote de Menton (Bergamot Marmalade)

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon pearl sugar

The day before, combine strong white flour, caster sugar, yeast and salt (they shouldn’t touch at this stage) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Grate in the zest of the whole lemon. Turn on low speed until well-combined.

Turn on medium speed and add the eggs and milk, and mix 4 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite sticky at this stage. Gradually add butter, a few chunks at a time until fully incorporated. When all the butter is incorporated, increase speed to high and mix, 4 to 6 minutes, until dough is soft, shiny and slaps the sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form a ball. Pop the dough ball in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with cling film. Let rise at room temperature for an hour.

Again, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Shape into a ball, and return dough to the lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, and prove once more a couple of hours or until the dough has tripled in size. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will continue proving, which will give the brioche a light and airy texture.

In the morning, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, and allow the dough to come back to room temperature, for 1 hour.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside. 

Remove cling film and turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Roll two of the portions into large rectangles onto a lightly floured surface.

Spread Lemon and Bergamot marmaldes onto the first dough rectangle, leaving at least an inch on the outward edge, and roll it tightly like you would a Swiss roll, seal the seam, and gently roll into a long “sausage”. Set aside. Repeat with the second dough rectangle, and generously spreading Luxury Praliné onto it, before rolling it, too. Hide the fève* in one of the “sausages”!

Place both of them vertically on the work surface, pinching the end of both of them firmly together. Twist, and shape into a crown. Place on prepared baking tray. Leave to prove for 30 minutes to one hour in a warm, draught-free room.

Whisk the egg and milk together.

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Once the brioche has risen, brush thoroughly with egg wash. Bake at 190°C/375°F  for 35 minutes, until a nice golden brown colour.

Meanwhile, combine Lemon and Bergamot marmalades with water in a small saucepan. Warm over a low flame until dissolved, well-blended and syrup-y. Set aside.

Remove Citrus and Praliné Kings’ Crown from the oven. Immediately and generously brush all over with lemon and bergamot syrup. Sprinkle liberally with pearl sugar. Transfer to serving plate and let cool for a bit before serving and finding out who’ll be crowned Queen or King! It pairs nicely with chilled Cider.

*A fève is a tiny porcelain figurine traditionally hidden in Epiphany Galette des Rois or Kings’ Brioche in France. Whoever finds it in their slice is Queen or King for the day. Before it was a figurine, a dried fava bean (”fève”, in French) used to be hidden, hence the name.