Corsican Easter Crown (Caccavellu)
From our last recipe – Crepes From Brittany – to today’s recipe, a Corsican Caccavellu sweet bread. Yes, it’s quite a far stretch, with as many kilometers as there are cultural specificities that separate these two regions – which sit literally opposite on the French map. But on many levels, they are not so different, if you ask me. Both the Brittany and Corsican people are known to be proud, tremendously proud, of their origins, dialect and people. Both deeply attached to their roots and unique cultural heritage, these regions…
- Prep time
- 3 hr
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 6 grams of yeast
- 2 tablespoon lukewarm water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- ¼ cup shortening (or ideally lard)
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground fennel
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, stir together the yeast and lukewarm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, until it starts to foam.
- 2
In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Add in two eggs, the shortening, the vanilla extract, the ground fennel and yeast mixture. Mix it all together (by hand or in a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment).
- 3
Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until it is smooth and not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with a cloth, and let it rest for 2 hours, at room-temperature. After 2 hours, it should have doubled in size.
- 4
Pre-head your oven to 375°F. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet.
- 5
Place the ball of dough on a working surface and divide it in two equal parts. Shape each part into two long logs (about 2.5” wide). Twist the two logs together and shape them into a crown. Place a raw egg (whole, in its shell) in the crease of a twist (make sure it holds nice and tight in between).
- 6
Optional: Brush the crown lightly with some milk (for a golden, glossy finish).
- 7
Place the crown onto the baking sheet and place in the oven for 40 minutes. The raw egg will cook slowly and thoroughly.
- 8
Once lightly golden, take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature.
- 9
Well wrapped in a cloth, the caccavellu can be kept up to 3 days.