Monday, January 06, 2014

Twelfth Night Brioche A La Magali

January Recipe


Several sweet recipes are typical in France for the Twelfth Night depending on where you live. There's nothing really typical in Brittany (as far as I know), but I always try to bake a brioche, something I'm not really good at. But of course, I don't blame myself, I blame my oven!!! I wonder what excuse I'll find next year.

Ne croyez pas que je vais réussir à tenir le rythme toute l'année, mais je vous propose pour janvier, ma brioche des rois (en fait, une recette de brioche suédoise, simplifiée à la sauce Magali).

All pictures were taken when it was becoming dark outside, because the recipes takes quite some time.

Toutes les photos ont malheureusement été prises à la nuit tombante (la recette est un peu longue) et je ne suis bien sûr pas responsable de l'irrégularité de la brioche. Je mets tout sur le dos de mon four! Je ne sais pas quelle excuse je vais pouvoir inventer l'an prochain!


What you'll need:
  • dried active baking yeast (the recipe calls for 7 grammes, but I just use the 10 grammes sachets I find in France);
  • 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water;
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • pinch of salt (only if you don't use salted butter);
  • 60 grammes of butter (I use salted butter, but it's not in the original recipe);
  • 2/3 cup of milk;
  • 2 1/2 cups of flour;
  • 1 egg.
For the filling:
  • 30 grammes of butter, softened;
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar; 
  • 1 1/2 cup of mixed almonds, dried fruits and candied cherries.

Ce dont vous avez besoin:
  • Un sachet de levure boulangère;
  • 2 cuillerées à soupe d'eau tiède;
  • 2 cuillerées de sucre;
  • 1 pincée de sel si vous êtes un hérétique utilisant du beurre doux;
  • 60 grammes de beurre;
  • 2/3 de tasse de lait;
  • 2 1/2  tasses de farine;
  • 1 oeuf.
 Pour la garniture:
  • 30 grammes de beurre mou;
  • 1 cuillerée à soupe de sucre;
  • 1 1/2 tasses d'un mélange d'amandes effilées, de fruits secs et de cerises confites (selon inspiration).

1. Mix the yeast, one tablespoon of sugar and the lukewarm water. Put aside for 5 minutes in a warm spot. It should become foamy.

2. Put in a saucepan the butter, the milk and a tablespoon of sugar and heat mildly.

3. In a bowl, put the flour, add the yeast mix and then the milk/butter/sugar mix.

4. Knead for about 10 minutes, adding flour if necessary. When you have a beautiful non-sticky dough, put it aside in an oiled bowl, covered, in a warm spot of your cottage for one hour. 

5. After one hour, knead again for one minute to get the air out of the dough. Try to put the dough in a square (I'm not very good at that) and spread on it the filling. Then roll the dough on it self and form a crown by joining the two sides. Put it on baking paper. Let it "grow" for an other 45 minutes in a warm spot. Then off  in your normal-sized oven! Bake in a 350° F oven for 20/25 minutes. Enjoy!


1. Dissoudre la levure, une cuil. de sucre et l'eau et laisser reposer à couvert 5 minutes dans un endroit tiède. Cela doit devenir mousseux si tout va bien.

2. Mettre dans une casserole le beurre, le lait et le sucre restant et faire tiédir.

3. Dans un bol, mettre la farine, le mélange de levure et le contenu de votre casserole (pas trop chaud). 

4. Pétrir environ dix minutes en rajoutant de la farine, jusqu'à obtenir une pâte lisse et non collante. Mettre dans un saladier huilé (une jatte si vous êtes chic), couvrir et laisser gonfler pendant une heure dans un endroit chaud.

5. Pétrissez à nouveau la pâte une minute pour libérer son air et l'étaler comme on peut (!) en rectangle. Répartir la garniture dessus, puis rouler la pâte sur elle-même et rejoindre les deux bouts pour former une couronne à déposer sur du papier sulfurisé. Laisser à nouveau lever pendant 45 minutes. Puis enfourner dans un four à 180°C pour environ 25 minutes.


As it is the French tradition for Twelfth Night, I put a little ceramic gadget in my filling (I use a ceramic wiseman), I was very careful to memorize where it was so I wouldn't cut it on the first day! Of course, the first piece I cut, I found the wiseman, which made me the Queen of the day, or rather Queen of the night, given the time ot was!


Bien sûr, j'ai rajouté une fève et bien entendu, je suis tombée dessus au premier coup de couteau! Par conséquent, la première part n'est pas très présentable, une fois dépourvue de son mage!


I'm sorry that post is a day late... But this is what was happening on my computer yesterday evening...

Je suis désolée, cet article a un jour de retard, mais hier soir, un intrus squattait l'ordinateur...

Is there a tradition for that day where you're from?

Et vous, avez-vous eu la fève?

See you soon,

A bientôt,


PS: I almost forgot, but we've got a lucky winner for the calendar:

Number 25 was Marcia from A Table Named Love. Marcia, I swear I didn't cheat, I even did the generator thing twice. It was written it was for you! I think I have your address, but if you could just confirm it by email, that would be sweet of you!
I'm really sorry for everybody else (I never thought naming a winner was so bittersweet).

PS 2: I'm sharing my recipe with:
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.fr/2014/01/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no194.html          Linky Party        "Friends Sharing Tea" Every Tuesday

Lavender Garden Cottage    Ivy and Elephants       No Minimalist Here                                               
home and garden button        I would love to have you join me for my link party, Share Your Cup!            Rooted In Thyme

Photobucket               http://www.ajoyfulcottage.com/2014/01/every-room-in-house-party-1.html                  

53 comments:

  1. That looks so delicious! I imagine it smelled delightful too!

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  2. That looks so tasty and I love that you bake a figurine in it. Such a sweet tradition......:) Hope your first day back at work went well....Vicky

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  3. Happy New Year! I know this custom with the little statue. We have it in Greece with a coin. Anyway I have bought a little Greek man in a traditional costume from a seller at a flea market who explained what it is!AriadnefromGreece!

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  4. On the 6th of January, in Antwerp and wide area, we celebrate Driekoningen, The Three Kings, who visited the little baby Jesus in the crib. It seems quite similar, because we make or buy a delicious cake, in which a small object is hidden (the "bean" as called in the old days, but nowadays also often a ceramic little wiseman or other object. The lucky one who finds it in his piece of cake, is the King for the rest of the day and is allowed to wear the paper crown that we make or buy together with the cake. Today that was my 19year-old son, he was pleased and kept the crown on his head until appr an hour ago :-) Nice to see that 700 km away, similar old customs are celebrated. Marcy

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    1. It's so fascinating to see traditions all around the world. I googled Antwerp as I had no idea what the town looked like and it's so pretty!

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  5. I love brioche. We used brioche (not homemade) for our Christmas morning French toast. It was delicious.

    I am glad you were the Queen for a Day.

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  6. we do not have any particular traditions here but I think your treat looks delicious.

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  7. This looks so delicious! Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year.
    fondly,
    Penny

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  8. This looks delicious and I love the idea of the wiseman inside. Great way to remember the arrival of the Wise man

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  9. I have several feves languishing in my drawer from times past!
    Like you, I have spent ages worrying over winner-drawing with a giveaway. I've never used the rndom thingy.....just relied on my husband to pull a name out of a hat! Congratulations to the winner.

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  10. Your brioche looks delicious, and your cat charming.

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  11. Ben non, cette année pas de fève donc pas de couronne. Tant pis, par contre je garde les fèves depuis des années, ce n'est pas une collection à proprement dit, mais je les range soigneusement quand même.
    Tu as le même squatteur que moi, même couleur, même position.
    Bises. Babette

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  12. Nous n'avons pas tiré les rois... j'aime pas trop la galette à la frangipane et je n'avais aucune bonne brioche sous la main... et la flemme d'en préparer une. Dommage que nous soyons si loin, la tienne a l'air vraiment bonne ! J'espère que tu t'es régalé... ce n'était pas le mot de l'année ?

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  13. That looks delicious, Magali. I'll be right over. xo Laura

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  14. Last night my husband got our new printer hooked up so I was able to come back and print out your nice sweet bread. Thanks!

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  15. Lamenting my gluten free status. I would like nothing better than to spend this rainy day baking this delicious bread. Thank you for the visual delight :)

    Kindly, Dana

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    1. A friend of mine has a son who needs to eat gluten-free and I've promised to work on some gluten-free recipes... If I have any success, I'll put them online!

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    2. If I try it, I will let you know, because the dried fruit seemed like something my daughter would like. We have pretty good success with our gluten-free flour mix when we change recipes.

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  16. It came out so pretty and looks delicious.

    We put the kings and camels in the stable; though they are already in, because my daughter doesn't like to wait. My mother always did this with us, so I continue.

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  17. It looks wonderful! I would say you are very good at baking a brioche!

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  18. Congratulations to dear Marcia! And thank you so much for visiting and leaving such a kind note.. I am so happy you enjoyed viewing her.
    blessings,
    Penny

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    1. It's always a pleasure to visit people as talented as you are!

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  19. That brioche looks wonderful AND delicious- yum! Perfect with a cuppa tea.

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  20. No tradition here, although I made sure I had all my decorations down, I don't need any bad luck.
    I love brioche though it's never occurred to me to make it, because I know it's difficult. Yours looks simply delicious.
    Congrats to Marcia for winning the calendar.

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  21. My replay button wasn't working so here I am - so glad you linked! Everyone needs more authentic french recipes!

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  22. Yummy!! I love breads with fruit. My sister in-law makes stollen for me every year and I have to say, it is the one thing I look forward to at Christmas! I see you traded in your computer mouse for a computer cat!!

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  23. What a nice tradition -- and made with love. Thanks for sharing this with us.

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  24. For not being good at it I'd say it looks delicious! I think this is a great tradition. Would love to find the wise man inside!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  25. It looks delicious! We don't do a lot for Twelfth Night here. I keep meaning to, but it wasn't a bit part of our life growing up and I'm always so tired of the holidays by then!! But maybe I just need to start later. Ha! ~Angela~

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  26. Your Brioche would look good in any kind of light and that is so cool to put the ceramic wiseman inside. I'll be looking for one in my piece. Thanks for you recent visits I've enjoyed them so, and sharing with us on Sunday's Best. It was so nice of you to share with us. As far as traditions, it would be my Mom baked dozens and dozens of cookies and "hide" them upstairs in the attic. We'd always find them and she would always act so surprised. I remember the nights she would spend on baking, with much love in her heart. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

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  27. elle a l'air succulente cette brioche!!!!avec de bons raisins!!
    véro

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    1. J'avoue, je ne sais pas si ce sont les gènes anglais, mais j'adore les raisins! Merci de cette visite.

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  28. Happy New Year, Magali!

    Your Twelfth Night Brioche looks absolutely delicious! I know it's a lot of work, as we also make a type of brioche called Tsoureki, traditionally at Easter, but bakeries supply it every day, as it is so delectable and always in demand. It doesn't contain fruit or nuts, but orange peel, ground mastic and mahlab, (an aromatic spice made from the seeds of a species of cherry). To commemorate New Year's Eve, we bake an orange cake called a Vasilopita, which contains a coin, and whoever finds it in his/her piece is said to have good luck all year!

    Your setting for tea and brioche looks very cozy and festive and I hope you have a happy and healthy 2014!

    Poppy
    PS: Your kitty's expression is priceless!!

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  29. Your cat looks exactly like mine!!! Greetings from Bogumil to your kitty!

    The photos of this brioche baking made me feel like home. So peaceful and simple!

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    1. My cat, called Shadow, is quite smug that he gets greetings from all around the world!

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  30. It has been fun learning all the traditions. It looks like you did a great job.

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  31. Hahaha! The Spanish Roscón de Reyes. hahaha

    Marina

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  32. Looks lovely and yummy, and Cats before Computers is sound thinking. When I was a child we had more 12th night. By then Santa and the tree were out and there was greater focus on the Nativity.

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  33. Oh, my mouth is watering Magali. It looks so delicious, and so delightful with your lovely table setting. Everything you touch has loads of charm. Feel free to share this at the Every Room In The House party. Since we're partying in the The Kitchen this month, recipes are welcome. Have a great weekend. ~ Nancy

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    1. Thank you so much for iniviting me. I just linked up to your party! Enjoy your weekend.

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  34. Oh, I'm going to make this! Looks wonderful! I am so glad you shared this! I do appreciate you sharing with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

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  35. Looks so good! and now I'm hungry. Off to find something for dinner.

    Ciao bella!

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  36. I am going to have to make this recipe Magali, it looks delicious.

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  37. What a lovely tradition, especially the inclusion of the wiseman! I don't have a tradition for the 12th night but I think I should come up with one and make this year the first!

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  38. c'est trop bon ! j'ai réalisé ma version avec des myrtilles séchées
    la brioche s'est conservée trois jours sans problème... il faut savoir faire durer le plaisir !
    merci pour cette recette si simple - cordialement - monique59

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