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Friday 5 June 2015

Goats Cheese, Garlic, Parma Ham and Thyme Couronne


When it comes to savoury bakes I immediately turn to bread. I'd seen Paul Hollywood make a sweet version of this couronne (crown) with mincemeat and marzipan on The Great British Bake Off Christmas Masterclass and it just looked so fun and inviting to make, with the cutting and twisting (it's really quite easy) but looks impressive enough to be straight out of an artisan bakery. 




So I've mixed it up a bit by using Paul's enriched dough recipe but instead filling it with all my favorites! 



There's this technique that I do (which I mention in the method) called tacking. Tacking is where you simply push the edges of one of the long sides onto your work surface, using your fingers so that the edge is temporarily 'stuck'. This helps to seal the edge when you have rolled it up into a log. 


Ingredients



For the couronne:
250g strong white bread flour
5g salt
8g instant yeast
50g unsalted butter, softened 
135ml whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten


For the filling:
3 garlic cloves
130g goats cheese (rind on)
90g parma ham
a large handful of fresh thyme leaves
black pepper


Method



For the couronne, tip the flour into a large mixing bowl, then add the salt and the yeast. Add the butter, milk and egg and stir the mixture with your fingers until it comes together as a dough. Continue mixing until the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is soft. (It will be very sticky.)


Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough has stopped feeling sticky and has a smooth, silky exterior. Equally, you could do this all in a free standing mixer with the dough hook attachment, just bring it togther and then leave on a low speed to knead for 5-6 minutes.


Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to prove in a warm room for at least 30 minutes and up to one hour.


Now prepare your filling, peel and grate your garlic to a paste consistency. Then crumble up the goats cheese into small pieces with your hands. Finely chop up the thyme leaves and add a good grind of black pepper.  


Preheat your oven to 210°C / 425°F/ Gas 7. 


Once the dough has risen, flour your work surface and rolling pin and turn out the dough onto the worktop. Without knocking it back, roll out the dough into a rectangle 33x25cm/13x10in in size.Turn the dough rectangle so that the long edge is facing you. Spread the garlic paste over the dough, next scatter the goats cheese over and then place the parma ham on. Finally sprinkle with the chopped thyme and black pepper. 




Tack one of the long edges to your worktop (see my notes above). Roll the dough tightly like a Swiss roll, then cut the roll in half lengthways, all the way through. Twist the two lengths of dough together in a spiral using your hands at either end, then join the ends to form a ring.


Flour your baking tray then place the couronne onto it and set aside to prove again for a further 30-60 minutes, or until the dough springs back quickly when lightly prodded.


Bake the proved couronne for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Nice served hot or cold, but best eaten on the day.

4 comments :

  1. Beautiful! I'm so hungry now!!

    Btw, I've just nominated you for the Liebster Award! Have fun ;)
    http://www.lucylovestoeat.com/2015/01/liebster-award-nomination.html

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    1. Hi Lucy, thanks so much for the nomination! I will get onto that shortly. X

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  2. I would eat all of that by myself and would not feel an ounce of guilt. Dang, now I'm hungry again. Making breads is not my strong suit, but I'd be willing to give this a try.
    Texas Jak
    http://www.novermyhead.com

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    Replies
    1. You should have a go Texas Jak! (Haha good name!) bread was never my strong suit either but I've got into it now...you just need the time which not everyone has these days.

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