King's Crown

Ingredients

• 320 g type 45 flour (for brioche dough)
• une pincée salt
• 40 g white sugar
• 1 cuillère à soupe orange blossom water
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar (optional, for extra flavor)
• 50 g soft butter (at room temperature)
• 6 g dry baker's yeast
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• 1 egg yolk (for glazing) (reserved for glazing)
• 100 ml lukewarm milk (about 30‑35 °C)
• 30 g sugar (syrup) (for the glaze)
• 30 ml water (syrup)
• 30 g candied fruit (for decoration, optional)
• 20 g sugar pearls (for decoration, optional)

Instructions

1. Mixing the liquids

   In the bowl, pour the lukewarm milk, whole egg, egg white, salt, sugar, dry yeast, and orange blossom water. Mix with a spatula until homogeneous.

   Time: PT5M

2. Incorporating the flour

   Add the flour gradually while mixing. Knead by hand or with a mixer until you obtain a slightly sticky dough.

   Time: PT5M

3. Adding the butter

   Incorporate the soft butter in pieces. Knead vigorously for 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and slightly shiny.

   Time: PT5M

4. First rise

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature until the dough doubles in volume (about 1 h 15).

   Time: PT1H15M

5. Degassing and shaping

   Degas the dough by gently pressing it, place it on parchment paper, form a ring by creating a hole in the center and leveling the thickness.

   Time: PT10M

6. First glaze

   Mix the reserved egg yolk with a tablespoon of milk. Brush the surface of the crown.

   Time: PT5M

7. Second rise

   Let the crown rise again, covered, until it doubles in volume (about 45 minutes).

   Time: PT45M

8. Preheating the oven

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (convection).

   Time: PT10M

9. Second glaze and decoration

   Brush the crown again with the egg‑yolk/milk mixture, sprinkle sugar pearls and arrange the candied fruit on top.

   Time: PT5M

10. Baking

    Place the crown in the oven and bake for 25 minutes at 180 °C until golden and cooked through.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: 180°C

11. Preparing the syrup

    While baking, bring 30 g of sugar and 30 ml of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Let boil for 2‑3 minutes, then remove from heat.

    Time: PT3M

12. Finishing with syrup

    When out of the oven, brush the still‑warm brioche with the syrup to give it shine and sweetness.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

300

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of type 45 flour: all-purpose flour
• Instead of orange blossom water: vanilla extract
• Instead of vanilla sugar: vanilla extract
• Instead of soft butter: margarine
• Instead of dry baker's yeast: fresh yeast (12 g)
• Instead of lukewarm milk: lukewarm almond milk

Equipment Needed

• mixing bowl
• spatula
• stand mixer or electric whisk (optional)
• kitchen scale
• plastic wrap
• parchment paper
• baking sheet
• kitchen brush
• oven
• small saucepan
• whisk or fork

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Mixing the liquids
• Incorporating the flour
• Adding the butter
• First rise
• Degassing and shaping
• Second rise
• Baking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use high‑quality orange blossom water for an authentic fragrance.
• Add a teaspoon of oil to your hands while kneading to prevent the dough from sticking.
• Allow the brioche to cool completely (2‑3 hours) before slicing to prevent it from crumbling.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 2‑3 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month.

Room temperature: At room temperature, best freshness for only 1 day.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before, let it rise, then refrigerate before shaping.
• The syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator.