Apricot Couronne

There were sun dried apricots at home that no one wanted to eat.  And so I searched for recipes with apricots and it led me to Paul Hollywood's Apricot Couronne.  Having watched The Great British Bake Off , he is a big favourite of mine and have tried his Eight strand plaited loaf earlier on.

 The recipe seemed interesting.  I thought I had all the ingredients.  I should have checked. I normally do that, but this time I had no doubts.  I did not do my mise-en-place and started off very enthusiastically.  Mixed the dough and then discovered that I did not have the walnuts ! I was short on the apricots too. It was too late, and so I continued by just substituting it with what I thought was right.  I also should have checked some other sites on the procedure. Well, all in all - I did not stick to the original recipe, but the final product was good !

Couronne in Frech refers to the crown.  And this loaf is shaped like a crown.  It also has a lovely filling.

Reproducing the recipe as it appears on BBC Food Recipes and the changes I made.

Ingredients:For the dough

• Strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting - 250gms
• Salt 5gms
• Instant yeast -7gms
•  Unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing - 50g ( without realising I used salted butter ! )
•  milk - 105ml 
• Egg - 1 slightly beaten

For the filling

• Unsalted butter, softened - 90gms
• Light muscovado sugar - 70g ( Used demerara sugar)
• Ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped and soaked in orange juice - 120gms ( I had about 100 gms)
•  Plain flour - 35gms
• Raisins - 60gms
• Chopped walnuts - 65gms ( I used almonds - I ran out of walnuts !)
• Orange  zest only - 1 

To finish

• Apricot jam - 50 gms ( I omitted this )
• Icing sugar 200gms
• Flaked almonds - 25gms Did not do this either

Preparation 

1. Place flour into a large mixing bowl and add the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the butter, milk and egg and mix to combine, using your hands. Continue to mix until you’ve picked up all the flour from the sides of the bowl. Use the dough to clean the inside of the bowl and keep going until you have a soft dough.
2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead. Keep kneading for 10-12 minutes. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin.
3. When the dough feels smooth and silky, put it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
4. While the dough is rising, make the filling. Beat the butter and muscovado sugar together until smooth. Drain the apricots and add to the butter mixture along with the flour, raisins, walnuts and orange zest. Mix to combine.
5. Line a baking tray with baking parchment or silicone paper.
6. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Taking care not to knock the air out of it, roll out the dough into a rectangle, approximately 33x25cm/13x10in. Turn the dough 90 degrees if necessary, so you have a long edge facing you. Spread the apricot mixture evenly over the dough. Roll up the dough tightly (like a Swiss roll). Roll it slightly to seal, then cut it in half lengthways (you can leave one end joined to help you twist the dough and form the circular crown).
7. Twist the two dough lengths together to make a rope, then join the ends of the rope to form a circular ‘crown’. Transfer to the baking tray. ( What you need to do is actually like braiding with the two cut portions )
8. Put the tray inside a clean plastic bag and leave to prove for 30-45mins, or until the dough springs back quickly if you prod it lightly with your finger. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
9. Bake the couronne for 25-35 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
10. Gently heat the apricot jam with a splash of water, then sieve it and brush it over the warm loaf to glaze. Mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a thin icing, drizzle over the loaf and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Leave to cool before serving ( I did not do the jam glaze.  Only the drizzle of icing sugar.  No almonds either )

                                         ( I will replace this picture once I make it again)