I am so excited to share Nadiya Hussain's crown bread recipe with you,
with a couple of twists (pun intended).
Follow along with detailed picture step by step instructions.
What is Crown Bread?
I first heard of crown bread while watching Cooking with Nadiya. In her show, she makes this bread filled with tapenade and blue cheese, two of my favorite flavors, and twists the bread into a beautiful crown shape. I was absolutely mesmerized by how delicious this bread looked and I could not wait to make it.
I could find very little information on crown bread. In America, we often call it wreath or Couronne bread. What these loaves of bread have in common is that they are filled with goodies, rolled up, split down the middle, and twisted together into a distinctive crown shape.
This bread is perfect for any dinner table, especially during the holidays. However, in my case, I could not wait and I enjoyed it with an old friend and a bottle of wine on a Sunday afternoon. Honestly, either occasion is perfect, as long as you savor this delicious bread.
Modifications from Nadiya Hussian's original recipe
I made a couple of modifications to Nadiya's original recipe based on personal preference and budget. As always, feel free to modify it according to your preferences.
- Rosemary is a part of the original recipe. While I love rosemary, I preferred bread without it. Feel free to add rosemary back in if you feel differently.
- I made this bread twice. The first time I used goat blue cheese was because it was on sale. A lot of the flavor baked out and this was a bad choice. The second time I used traditional blue cheese and the result was much better.
- Instead of an apricot jam, I made a quick apple jam. This was both to save money on jarred jam and apricots that are out of season. However, this is baker-specific. Use the jam you prefer.
Let's Make Crown Bread
- One: Put the flour, salt, yeast, and butter into a bowl, then rub the butter into the flour. The butter should be rubbed into small pieces. (If you do want to add rosemary, you can add 2tsp here.)
- Two: Form a well in the center of the flour mix and then add the milk and beaten egg. Once mixed, take the dough out of the bowl and knead on a floured or oiled surface for 10 minutes. You are done kneading when the dough becomes stretchy and smooth.. If you prefer to use your mixer, attach the dough
Three: Place the dough in a bowl and cover with cling film or a shower cap until the dough is doubled. Between an hour and an hour and a half. While the dough is rising, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Four: Once the dough has doubled, knock all the air out of the dough and place it on a lightly floured or oiled surface. Roll the dough into an 11x15in. (This is where the process is a lot like cinnamon rolls.) Evenly spread the tapenade and blue cheese across the dough. Once spread, roll the dough up like a cinnamon roll. You want this roll to be tight.
Five: Start about an inch from the top of the rolled-up dough and take a sharp knife and cut down the center. Because the top is intact, you should be able to make an A shape out of the dough. Then lift one side of the A and place it over the other A-side. Repeat the process, about five times. until you have formed a circle. Carefully place the dough on the tray, cover it with cling wrap and allow it to prove about 30 minutes.
Six: Once the second prove is complete, bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Let the bread cool. Warm up the jam in the microwave and brush the jam over the top of the bread.
Resources and recipe credit:
- If you would like to see the original recipe click here.
- If you would like to watch the video from Time to Eat click here.
Great British Baking Show Bake
Season 1, Episode 3. Signature Challenge - Olive Tapenade and Blue Cheese Crown Bread
Count: 8 down and 270 to go!
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Recipe
Nadiya Hussain's Crown Bread (with a few twists)
Ingredients
- 250 g bread flour
- 7 g yeast
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4.5 oz warm milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4.5 oz olive tapenade
- 5.5 oz blue cheese
- 3 tablespoon jam
Instructions
- Put the flour, salt, yeast, and butter into a bowl, then rub the butter into the flour.
- Form a well in the center of the flour mix and then add the milk and beaten egg.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and knead on a lightly floured or oiled surface for 10 minutes. When the dough becomes stretchy and smooth you are done kneading. If you prefer to use a mixer, attach the dough hook and mix at a low to medium speed for five minutes. When the dough is formed into a ball around the hook, you are done.
- Place the dough in a bowl and cover with cling film or a shower cap until the dough has doubled. Between an hour and an hour and a half.
- While the dough is rising, line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has doubled, knock all the air out of the dough and place it on a lightly floured or oiled surface.
- Roll the dough into an 11x15in a rectangle.
- Evenly spread the tapenade and blue cheese across the dough.
- Tightly roll the dough up on the long (15in) side of the dough.
- Start about an inch from the top of the rolled-up dough cut down the center of the dough. The dough should form an A shape with the top intact.
- Lift one side of the A and place it over the other side of the A. Repeat the process, about five times. until you have formed a circle.
- Carefully place the dough on the tray, cover with cling wrap and begin the second prove, about 30 minutes.
- Once the second prove is complete, bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Place the bread on a rack and allow it to cool.
- Warm the jam in the microwave and brush the jam over the top of the bread.
Anonymous
What temperature should the butter be when I incorporate it into the dough?
Ruth Grindeland
Hello, I use cold butter.