Italian brioche couronne

So yesterday I finally tackled this bread recipe I have been eyeing for a while. Its one of those that has been niggling at me and I've been building myself up to it since seeing Paul Hollywood make it on his Bread program. I will admit I was a little nervous as it is an enriched savoury bread which required filling with mozzarella, parma ham and basil, rolling, then cutting in half, twisting together then bringing into a ring - sounded like it could be messy... But dah da dah da da da daaaah... check out this baby!

I know. I am pretty smug about it and it tasted absolutely delicious, all hot and steamy and melty and doughy in the middle but crispy on the outside, yum. I also made the spicy squash and spinach salad to go with it but added red onions and a slightly different dressing although the bread is a meal in itself.

My mum lent me the Paul Hollywood's Bread book and I also had the recording of that episode on the planner so I watched that first and then found that the recipe in his book differed quite a lot from the one I'd just watched! On the tv show he says  to wrap the dough in cling film and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours then to make the crown and bake straight away whereas the recipe book says nothing about chilling in the fridge and instructs you to prove the bread again after you have made the crown. Confusing huh? Well here's what I did and it turned out majestically - I think it would meet the blue eyed baker's approval.

I actually halved this recipe as there was only 2 of us and it was still pretty large, I can only imagine how big a full size one would be!

Ingredients
250g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
5g sea salt
7g sachet dried yeast
85ml full fat milk
2 eggs
125g unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, at room temperature
6-8 slices parma ham
1 ball buffalo mozzarella
Handful fresh basil, ripped
Freshly grated parmesan
1 egg, beaten for glazing

Put the flour in a mixer fitted with the dough hook and add the salt to one side and the yeast to the other. Add the milk and eggs and mix until combined. Now add the butter a bit at a time, allowing it to be taken in by the dough before adding the next bit. After all the butter is added continue to mix for another 5 minutes.

Put the dough into an oiled bowl or container and cover with cling film. Leave on the side for an hour until doubled in size then pop in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill so the dough is easier to handle.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a rectangle, using a floured rolling pin, so it is about 1-1.5cm thick with the long side facing you. Lay the parma ham evenly on top along with ripped pieces of the mozzarella and the basil. Grate parmesan over the top.

Roll towards you from the opposite long side, trying to keep it tight so the filling doesn't fall out, so you have a long sausage shape. Flatten slightly then cut in half (using a metal bread scraper was the easiest method I found). Separate the 2 lengths of dough and lay so the filling is facing upwards. Now bring together and twist, one end clockwise, the other anti-clockwise to form a kind of rope. Bring the 2 ends together to make a loop and press together to link. Transfer to a baking sheet (move quickly to avoid it falling apart) then cover again with cling film and leave to prove again for 1-1½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 200°C about 20 minutes before your proving time is up. Brush the couronne with the beaten egg then sprinkle with grated parmesan and a bit of flour. Bake for 20 minutes then check - it may need another 5 depending on your oven. It should be golden brown. Serve warm when the mozzarella is still oozing!

For the Spicy squash, red onion and spinach salad:
(for 2-3)
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 red onion, cut into chunks

1 red chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
Handful green or black pitted olives
Salt and pepper
3 tsp balsamic vinegar

Mix together the butternut squash cubes, onion, chilli, dried chilli, olive oil, cumin and a good season of salt and pepper and roast on a baking tray in the oven for about half an hour or until slightly caramelised.


Add to the spinach and mix in along with the balsamic vinegar and olives. Serve with the lovely Italian inspired brioche crown and a nice glass of wine (olives do not go with beer at all - this I have learnt!) and enjoy!