A Couronne or Crown is a traditional French bread served at Christmas. This Cranberry and Pecan Couronne is so good I would happily enjoy it at any time of the year.
This pretty yeasted sweet bread is packed full of fruit and nuts and is simply bursting with flavour. Traditionally served at Christmas time it would make a spectacular addition to any festive table.
But I don't see why you should save it just for Christmas, as it would make a delicious addition to any teatime spread for a special occasion.
A traditional festive loaf with a twist
The idea for this particular bake came from The Great British Bake Off 2019. I like to bake a recipe each week inspired by the show. On this occasion, it was festival baking and the signature bake was to be 24 yeasted buns that are served at festive feasts.
Many of the contestants choose hot cross buns but given that this show goes out in the Autumn it didn't seem appropriate so instead, I choose this festive loaf.
The recipe was adapted from Paul Hollywood's Apricot Couronne which was actually used for a technical challenge in the show back in 2013.
I flavoured my dough with orange zest and used cranberries and pecans with a maple syrup glaze to give it more of an international twist. Cranberries and pecan are a favourite combination of mine which I have also used in my Apricot, Cranberry and Pecan Cake which I made for another Bake Off inspired post for my signature fruit cake.
Mine also looks a little different as unlike in the original recipe I twisted my strands so that the split layers were uppermost as I twisted the dough together. It may not be traditional but I think it looks even prettier
It may look a little complicated to make but it really isn't, and I have included lots of steps to help you with the shaping of the loaf.
How to make a cranberry and Pecan Couronne
Making the enriched dough
The first stage is making the dough. It a yeasted dough enriched with butter, milk and eggs, which will time to rise so you need to allow plenty of time for this.
All the ingredients are added to the bowl at once but if yeast comes into direct contact with salt it may kill the yeast, so add these at opposite sides of the bowl.
Then you mix the dough with your hands. It will be very sticky, to begin with. Once it has come together and you have incorporated all the flour, tip it out onto a work surface and start kneading.
Avoid the temptation to add extra flour and keep kneading the dough which will start to lose its sticky-ness as you work it. Then as you keep kneading, the dough should become smooth silky and soft. Only add extra flour if it is still sticky after 5 or more minutes of kneading.
Knead the sticky dough. until smooth and silky.
You can see from the two pictures above that the texture of the dough has changed and the dough is no longer sticking to the work surface as I work. I did not dust the surface with flour or add any extra.
TIP:
Use a mixer with a dough hook if you have one and let the machine do the work for you.
1st prooving
Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl, covered and in a warm place to rise. I put a little oil into the bowl then roll the dough around so that both the dough and sides of the bowl are lightly coated with oil.
Because it is a rich dough it will take longer to rise than a simple bread dough. Mine took 2 hours at each stage at an ambient temperature of 30℃ (86°F).
Depending on the temperature of the place you leave it to rise it may be quicker or longer, so allow plenty of time. If you need to spread it over 2 days you can pop it in the fridge overnight to slow down the rise.
Making the Filling
While the dough is proving you can make the filling so it is ready when you need it. Place the chopped cranberries and mixed peel in a saucepan with the orange juice and bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and allow too cool.
Once the fruit has cooled beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then mix in the cooled fruit, chopped pecans and flour. Set aside until required.
Shaping the Couronne
Once the dough has doubled in size it is rolled out to a rectangle and spread with the filling which is then topped with a layer of marzipan before rolling up like a swiss roll.
Make the filling. Spread over the rolled out dough. Top with a thin layer of marzipan. Roll up like a Swiss Roll/
The log is then cut in half lengthways leaving it joined at one end. The two legs of the roll are twisted together before shaping into a ring.
Cut The log in hlaf lengthways leaving joined at one end. Twist the two legs of dough together. and pinch the end together. Shape into a ring (Crown).
Carefully transfer to a baking sheet and cover loosely ( I pop the whole tray into a large plastic carrier bag) and leave until doubled in size before baking. This will probably take about 1-2 hours.
After Baking the loaf is glazed with some maple syrup and then drizzled with some maple flavoured icing and left to cool before serving.
Cranberry and Pecan Couronne
Equipment
- baking sheet
- baking parchment
Ingredients
For the dough
- 300 g (10½oz) strong white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 7 g (¼oz) sachet easy blend yeast
- 50 g (2oz) butter softened
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 125 ml (4floz) lukewarm milk
- finely grated zest of 1 orange
For the filling
- 125 g (4oz) dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 50 g (2oz) chopped mixed peel
- juice of 1 orange
- 75 g (3oz) butter softened
- 75 g (3oz) light muscovado sugar
- 3 tablespoon plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 50 g (2oz) pecan nuts chopped
- 225 g (8oz) marzipan
To complete
- about 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 100 g (4oz) icing sugar
- flaked almonds to sprinkle
Instructions
To make the dough
- Place 300g (10½oz) bread flour in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon salt to one side of the bowl and 7g (¼oz) yeast to the other side of the bowl. Add 50g (2oz) softened butter, 1 lightly beaten large egg and 125ml (4floz) warm milk to the bowl.
- Mix the dough with your hands until you have a very soft sticky dough. Tip the dough onto a work surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Knead in the orange zest. Continue kneading until the dough is no longer sticky and the dough becomes smooth and silky. Shape into a ball.
- Place a little oil into a bowl and add the dough to the bowl, turn the dough around in the oil so that the oil coats the bowl and dough. Cover and leave in a warm place to prove for at least 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile make the filling
- Place 125g (4oz) dried cranberries and 50g (2oz) mixed peel in a saucepan with the juice of one orange. Heat until just simmering then turn off the heat and allow to stand.
- Beat 75g (3oz) butter and 75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the cranberries and mixed peel, 3tbsp flour and 50g (2oz) chopped pecan nuts.
To complete
- Turn out the risen dough and without knocking back roll into a rectangle about 35 x25cm (14x10in). With the long side facing you. Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the dough.
- Next roll out 225g (8oz) marzipan thinly and lay it over the cranberry mixture.
- Roll up the dough from the long side like a swiss roll. Roll it a few times to seal. Then cut in half lengthways cutting almost the whole length of the roll leaving it joined at one end.
- Twist the two lengths together and then join the ends to form a circular crown (Couronne). Carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
- Place the whole tray inside a clean plastic bag or cover loosely with oiled cling film and leave to rise for about 1-2 hours and is doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan)/400°F/gas mark 6. Bake the Courrone for 25 minutes until risen and golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the tray then transfer to a wire rack.
- Brush with maple syrup.
- Mix 100g (3½oz) icing sugar with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and enough water to make a smooth thin icing and drizzle over the warm loaf. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and leave to cool.
Megan S
I'd like to make this for Christmas morning. Can I make it the day or two before? Is there a way I can do most of it the day before and just bake day of? Thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Homemade yeasted Breads generally taste bet the day made that said you could make the Couronne the night before and leave it to rise in the fridge (if you have space). The low temperatures will slow the action of the yeast right down so that it takes longer to rise.
Alternatively you could make ahead of time omit the glaze. The in the morning sprinkle/mist with a little water. Wrap in foil and warm in the oven to freshen.
hope this helps. Enjoy and have a lovely Christmas.
Andrea
What is chopped mixed peel? Do you just chop up the orange rind? When I Google it, it says it's candied citrus peels, but it seems odd to me to add candied peels to this... is that what you do?
Thanks,
Andrea
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Chopped mixed peel is indeed small pieces of candied citrus fruit peel, usually orange and lemon peel.
Cathherine
I really love the look of this! I would like to make it. I am wondering if it could be made ahead of time and frozen then glazed at the last minute?
Thank you for your lovely recipes and articles,
Catherine
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Yes you could make this ahead of time and freeze if you do the glaze after defrosting
Cheril Walsh
Can I make it without the marzipan? suggestion of something else to use instead? No one in my family eats marzipan.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
If you don't like marzipan I would be inclined to just leave it out rather than replace with something else and maybe up the other filling ingredients by half as much again. If you give it a go, let me know how you get on
Christine
Looks fantastic. Would it be ok to freeze the finished bread ?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I think all breads always best freshly made but yes you could freeze this.
Lieacha
Can this be considered a cold dessert? Do you think using creme patissier instead of the fruit and mixture could work?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
You could serve this for a dessert but I like it best for breakfast, morning coffee or afternoon tea. Not sure that Creme patissier would work as I fear it would ooze out too much during the shaping. If you don't like the dried fruit you could maybe try chocolate chips instead.
Penny Heaton
Hi, how long does this keep for and how do you best keep it fresh? I'd like to make it Thursday before going home Saturday but not sure how it will keep?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Homemade yeasted Breads generally taste best the day made. But you can make a day or so in advance Omit the glaze. The when required sprinkle/mist with a little water. Wrap in foil and warm in the oven to freshen.
Kelly Osborne
Thank your this recipe and in-depth instructions. It was absolutely delicious. The only complaint received was lack of leftovers. Will make two “crowns” next year.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
That's the best complaint I can get. So pleased you liked it IUt is rather fab. Sadly I didn't get time to make it over Christmas but it Mr B birthday at the weekend so Im going to make it for that as he liked it so much. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and rate the recipe and sorry I have been rather slow to reply.
Jenny Walters
Always wanted to bake one of these. I love your photos,they illustrate the process so well. It looks absolutely delicious too. Great for xmas, a really beautiful centre piece.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
Jenny do have a go its really ot hard and I think it tasted amazing. Took a lot of restraint not to eat the lot!
Monika Dabrowski
Oh my goodness this looks so SO good, love yeast based pastry especially with this kind delicious filling. I could have this any day too, not just at Christmas!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I think for sure its on my must bake for Christmas list but I shall also be making it again just for the enjoyment. would make a lovely weekend treat.
Jo Allison
Such a beautiful festive couronne Jacqui! Even the name sounds super grand and special! I love enriched dough bakes and this one with its secret layer of marzipan and packed with cranberries and pecans looks and sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe with #BakingCrumbs 🙂