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Couronne Bordelaise
Couronne Bordelaise
Some years ago a customer inquired if we carried Couronne proofing baskets. I had no idea what they were. Fortunately he inquired by email so I didn’t have to sound dumb on the phone. An internet search led me, among other places, to the Wild Yeast Blog (excellent bread website), where I learned what a Couronne Bordelaise is, and how to make one.
While they’re actually pretty easy to make, you could never describe in words alone how it’s done. An illustrated tutorial is needed, but I thought a video would be better, so here’s one.
I’ve made couronnes several times and they’ve all turned out pretty decent looking so I figure they must be easy. You can make them from most any kind of dough. I usually use a mix of white and whole wheat flour since that goes well with most foods, making it particularly well suited for bringing to a get together or pot luck kind of event.
I’m hoping some of you will give it a try, add your feedback below and include a photo.
Have fun!
Basic Steps:
The above video is going to be your best bet for following the procedure for making a couronne, but it might also help to print out these basic guidelines to help recall the steps while in your kitchen.
These steps are intended as a basic “memory jogger” to accompany the video and pick up from when you have a risen dough to work with.
Divide your 750 grams of medium hydration (60-65%) dough into 6 balls of 100 grams each and one ball of 150 grams.
(For a basic white bread recipe, combining 460 grams of all purpose or bread flour with 300 grams of water, will yield the quantity and hydration level used in the video)
Roll the 150 gram dough ball into a flat (pizza like) disk roughly 8” in diameter. Drape it over the center cup of your couronne form and position the 6 balls evenly around the cup. Slash the disk as shown below.
Position and slash dough
Drape the triangles of dough over the dough balls.
Fold dough over balls
Cover with plastic and let proof until the 6 dough balls are touching (1 to 1½ hours)
Cover and proof
Invert the whole thing onto a peel and slide onto baking stone or La Cloche base preheated to around 450-475.
Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature is 200-210.
Cool and devour.
Sesame Seed Variation
Couronne Bordelaise