This recipe for Pogne de Romans is adapted from one in Breads of France by Bernard Clayton, Jr., and several others.
It's a very rich bread, really almost a cake. It's similar to a lot of other enriched breads, such as Challah and the Greek breads here.
The orange flower water is available from The Greek Store.
Make a Sponge
| Ingred |
Ounces |
Grams |
| HK Flour |
4 1/2 |
130 |
| Water |
4 |
115 |
| Dry Yeast |
1 1/2 Tbsp |
15 |
Mix up, put in covered container and let sit on counter for 1/2 hour.
Then put it in the refrigerator overnight.
The original recipe says to let the sponge rise for 1 1/2 hours, then make the dough.
I prefer to make the sponge on day 1, rise it for 1/2 hour,
then put it in the refrigerator and make the dough and bake on day 2.
Ingredients in addition to the sponge
| Ingred |
Ounces |
Grams |
| HK Flour |
31 |
880 |
| Large Eggs |
6 |
6 |
| Rum or brandy |
2 |
57 |
or water |
| Sugar |
1 cup |
200 |
| Salt |
1 Tbsp |
22 |
| Orange Water |
2 |
57 |
or water |
| Butter |
1/2 lb |
227 grams |
broken out |
For the glaze
One egg
1 tablespoon 15 ml milk
whisked together
Method
- Add all the ingredients except the salt to a large mixer bowl and mix for a minute or two, until the mixture begins to come together.
- Shut off the mixer and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Add the salt and continue mixing for 5-10 minutes, until you have a soft, fairly dense dough.
- Put the dough in a large pot, or just leave it in the mixer bowl, cover, and let ferment at room temperature for one hour.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and fold or roll it several times. Put the dough back in the bowl.
- Let the dough ferment for one hour more, then fold or roll again. Put the dough back in the bowl.
- Let the dough ferment for 30 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the counter.
- Knead for a minute or two and divide into two pieces. Flatten each piece and punch a hole in the center of each with your finger.
- Gently expand the hole until it is at least 4 inches / 10cm in diameter, but better 5 or 6 inches / 12.5 to 15 cm.
- Place on buttered paper or parchment paper, cover lightly and place in a draft-free place to rise at room temperature and let them rise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Brush with the glaze after one hour, then leave uncovered.
- Heat oven to 360 F / 180 C.
- Brush just before baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes,then check the loaves and turn them to equalize baking.
- Finish baking until the loaves are a deep, rich brown.
- Remove the loaves from the oven, let them cool and then place them in plastic bags overnight.
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Here we go:
