I watch baking videos on my way to work and that is why I love to take the bus. This is the time I use to visualize, sketch and brain storm about my bakes and plan in my head about what I am going to tackles next. I thought of revisiting some of the older seasons of GBBO last week, and this couronne of Paul Hollywood took me in complete awe.
So, I created something in my head, that ticked the following boxes
- an enriched dough
- naturally leavened
- use my cranberry jam
- tastes and look festive
- indulging but packs a punch
And as a result, this recipe was born, last weekend. I didn’t know what to expect, up until the time I actually took a bite. Well, I couldn’t believe what I just put in my mouth! It was that good! If I eat this with my eyes closed, I wouldn’t know what to call this. It feels like a bit of mince pie, an orange pond cake, a frangipane tart and brioche all mingling in your mouth harmoniously.
I will mention what each component does in this couronne, so you can substitute these with your favorite things. But I seriously recommend you try this combo.
Homemade Cranberry jam – color, tartness cuts through the sweetness. It is chunky, so adds texture
Orange marzipan – adds fragrance mainly from the Orange, adds sweetness and texture, keep the bake moist
Crystallized ginger – adds warmth and a surprise kick to the bite
Sultana (or raisins) – texture, flavor of mince meat (Christmacy in other words) you can also use currants, but they can be a bit too tangy
Orange glaze – adds a shine to the finished product, keeps it moist for longer, enhance flavor. You can also use melted apricot jam instead of the syrup.
Here is the step by step process:
Get the sweet stiff starter mixed. Form in to a tough dough ball and place in a container, closed. Let this ferment until it is doubled in size. Could take between 8-12 hours depending on the room temp.(overnight works for me) If you wan to delay the process, place this in the fridge for a few hours to slow down.
I forgot to take a picture before opening up the fermented stiff starter ball. Here is an inside shot anyway. This is ready to be mixed with the dough now
Mix everything according to the recipe below to make the dough. Dough will be sticky. Notice there is no sugar in this dough, just in the starter. Once mixed, take it out on to a floured surface, and fold a few times to make it smooth, check the next image.
Once the dough is smooth like this, place it in a greased container, cover and place in a warm draft free area to ferment, until it is nearly doubled in size.
This is a good time to make the marzipan too. Use the same mixing ball, no need to wash it. Mix in all the ingredients in the recipe, and get it shaped nice and smooth like in this picture. Wrap this in cling wrap, and place in the fridge.
The dough is nearly doubled in size. (this took about 6 hours at 20 C) Now place this in the fridge for several hours. Time these to suite your schedule. It is alright to leave it out or in the fridge for couple of extra hours.
At this stage, the dough is too soft to handle. By placing in the fridge, this will firm up.
Final big step is to put all these together. Ready your jam, ginger, sultana and set aside. Take the dough out and let it soften a bit. In the meantime, roll the marzipan as thinly as possible. Use two parchment papers or use a Silpat like i did. The marzipan should be the same size as your dough sheet. Get it roughly to what you plan to get your dough at. If your kitchen is warm, place this in the fridge until you roll the dough.
Roll the dough on a well floured bench. The thickness shouldn’t be less than 3/4 of a centimeter. If you roll it too thin, it will break when you spread filling and also will tear when rolling.
Spread the jam on the dough. I use my fingers. A spatula may tear the dough underneath. Leave space here an there. Check the picture. And then scatter the sultana and ginger pieces.
Now lay the marzipan over the filling. Simply take the marzipan you rolled, take the top parchment paper off, tip it over the dough, so marzipan is facing the filling. Peel off the Silpat/parchment that was underneath.
Trim the marzipan edges if it overhangs. Press gently so it sticks to the filling.
Now roll the dough as you would do with a cinnamon roll. Flour your hands generously.
This step is similar to any babka, if you have made that before. Cut through the rolled dough, length wise, using a sharp knife. Turn the strands upwards. Twist the two strands to form a spiral. Try not to lose too much filling in this process.
Once twisted, form a ring with the dough by joining the two ends. Make sure to joint properly so that it won’t come apart while proofing/baking. Do this on the tray if you like. Or do it on the bench and carefully transfer it onto the tray. Now this has to rest/proof for a few hours. (3-4 hours I would say) You wouldn’t notice much difference in the size. But the dough will spring back when gently poked. The resting will help relax the dough.
Bake in a hot oven (410 F) for 40 minutes. If top start to burn, cover with a foil during the last 5-10 minutes
While the couronne is baking, get the orange glaze ready. Bring freshly squeezed orange juice and sugar to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickens.
You can of course use apricot jam glaze instead.
Once the loaf is out of the oven, glaze while it is still hot. And then let it cool down on a wire rack
You can also bake this in a big pie dish to retain the shape
That is it! You can then decorate this however you like. You can drizzle this with white lemon icing or even royal icing for a fancier finish. Decorate with red and green cherries for an even better look! I kept is simple with some sugar coated cranberries, few rosemary ends and a light dusting of icing sugar.
You can of course, use mince meat instead of my cranberry filling.
Give this a go and leave a comment
Bon Appétit !!
Ingredients
For the starter
- 70 g flour
- 1 tbsp. active starter
- 1 tbsp. sugar (brown or white)
- +/-30 g water
For the dough
- 70 g of above sweet starter
- 250 g flour
- 5 g salt
- 1 egg
- 50 g butter (soft, cubed)
- 125 ml milk (+/-)
For the Marzipan
- 200 g ground almonds (almond flour)
- 100 g icing sugar
- 60 g castor sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of one orange (very important)
For the spread
- about a 3/4 cups of Cranberry jam (preferably homemade)
- 1/3 cups of sultana/raisins
- 1/4 cups of crystallized ginger cut into small pieces
For the glaze
- Equal parts of orange juice and sugar
- OR
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Make the starter ahead and let ferment.
- To make the dough, mix everything except milk in a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a hook attachment.
- Start mixing on low and slowly add milk, to bring the dough together
- If necessary add extra milk or a little water (tablespoon at a time). The dough should be soft and sticky
- Take the dough off on to a floured surface, and knead by hand to form a smooth ball
- Place in a covered bowl and leave in a warm place for several hours
- Make the marzipan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- The dough will be risen considerably (almost double) if not leave for another hour or two
- Then refrigerate the dough covered for several hours or overnight
- When you are ready to make the couronne, take the dough out and let it soften (not too much, its easier to handle when cold)
- Prepare a tray lined with a parchment paper and set aside
- Prepare the filling and set them aside
- Roll out the marzipan between two parchment papers. Check the post and the pictures.
- Now take the dough on to a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle
- About 45 cm by 35 cm( the dough thickness should be no more than 3/4 cm)
- Once done, spread the cranberry jam, sprinkle with sultana(or raisins) and ginger (you don’t have to use all of the filling)
- Place the marzipan layer on top of the filling. Press gently. check the images above
- Starting from one end roll the dough tightly, length-wise
- Using a sharp knife cut the rolled cylinder in half along the length ( see picture). If the dough is too soft to handle, place the two strands on a tray and refrigerate until hardened ( for about 15 minutes)
- Now twist the two strands together(look at the photos in the post)
- Make sure to have cut sides exposed.
- Once twisted, bring the two end together to form a ring
- Tuck the end bits underneath
- Place on the prepared tray
- Leave covered in a warm place for about two – three hours (or more depending on the temp.)
- The dough will be softer to touch and will spring back when poked gently
- Preheat the oven to 410 F
- Bake for 40 minutes, turning the tray half-way through to the bake evenly
- In the meantime make the Orange sugar syrup
- Once done remove the baked couronne from the oven
- Top should be golden brown and should sound hollow when tapped
- Lightly brush with the orange sugar syrup or melted apricot jam
- Once done let this cool completely before cutting in as the filling need setting
- Decorate with dried fruit, sugar coated cranberries or candied orange slices (really! any way you like 🙂 )
- Slice with a serrated knife and serve
8 comments
This looks yummy. I use Davidson plum jam, made from fruit from my own tree, as a general substitute for cranberry jam (fresh nor frozen cranberries are readily available in Oz). If anything Davidson plum are more sour than cranberries, so I include some apple in the jam for sugar and pectin. My jam would be great for this recipe for an Australian twist. I’ll use my friend’s home made marmelade for the glaze.
https://anfab.org.au/main.asp?_=Davidson%20Plum
Oh Karey, Davidson’s plum jam sounds divine and would be a very nice substitute indeed!!!
Let me know how it all went.
Happy Baking!
Just had this for breakfast….OH MY holly cranberry!!
Cranberry plus marzipan…heaven!
I also like very much the dough, I made cranberry jam and only added marzipan, not the raisins and so but it’s beautiful.
Thank you for another success. I learnt so much with you recipes.
best wishes from Ireland!
Oh I’m so glad you liked it and you are welcome Alice. 🙂
This is one of our favorite holiday bakes!
Cheers!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I baked it this week, substituting cranberry jam with ginger jam. The orange juice x sugar is a gamechanger & the crystallized ginger definitely helps offsets sweetness from the marzipan. So many rave reviews from my friends & “your best yet” remarks! 😀
I am so glad to hear that! Thanks for leaving your feedback 🙂
This recipe became my far favorite. I have my third couronne in the oven right now and it looks beautiful as the previous two bakes! I don’t cut the corners and make my own cranberry jam for it, and no skipping the goodies,- ginger, raisins. My house is full of such satisfying smell. Its delicious!!!!
I am so happy to hear that Natasha. Yes! I always make my own jam too… makes such a big difference!