Saint Lucias Saffron Crown Recipes

Steps:

• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add sugar, butter, salt, and saffron, stirring until butter is melted. Let cool to lukewarm temperature, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl, stirring until dissolved. Stir in milk mixture and 3 1/2 cups flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in eggs. Add remaining flour gradually, mixing in the last by hand until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is very soft.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with a bowl and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead dough with additional flour as needed, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly greased large bowl; flip dough to grease both sides. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Punch down dough. Take golf ball-sized bits of dough and roll out into snakes. Roll each end in opposite directions to create 'S' forms. Place buns on the prepared baking sheets.
• Combine egg yolk and water in a bowl with a whisk. Brush over buns.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving oven on. Quickly place 1 raisin in the center of each 'S' curve.
• Return to the oven and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together warm water, yeast, and a pinch of granulated sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 3/4 cup milk in a small saucepan until just steaming. Remove pan from heat. Add saffron; cover, and let steep 5 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together saffron-milk mixture, butter, eggs, remaining sugar, and salt. Add to yeast mixture. Using the dough-hook attachment, beat until combined, about 1 minute. With mixer on low speed, add flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from side of bowl but is still slightly sticky (you may not need the fifth cup of flour). Add raisins, cherries, and zest. Mix until elastic and smooth, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, and loosely cover with oiled plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight (let dough come to room temperature before proceeding).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in center. Punch down dough; divide into three equal pieces. Gently roll each into a rope, 18 to 20 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches thick. On a lightly floured work surface, lay ropes vertically in front of you. Working toward yourself, braid ropes; form into a circle, and pinch ends together to seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; loosely cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap; let rise 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk egg yolk and heavy cream. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
• When ready to serve, make icing: In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons milk until smooth; drizzle over cake.

Steps:

• Crumble the saffron into the brandy (or cognac), and let sit for at least 20 minutes, or longer if possible (you can do this up to 24 hours in advance).
• In a saucepan, scald milk but over medium-low heat until it coats the back of a spoon with a thin milky residue, but DO NOT BOIL. Mix the scalded milk with the butter, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Let cool to lukewarm.
• Add yeast and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Add saffron (with the brandy or cognac), and stir well. Mix in half of the flour and egg, and mix until well combined. Stir in the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms. Cover and allow to sit in a warm place until puffy but not quite doubled (about 60 to 90 minutes).
• Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, each about the size of an egg. Roll each portion into a 5-inch long rope. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Roll each rope again to double the length to about 10 to 12 inches long. Curl the ends in opposite directions, to form a tight S-shaped figure. Tuck a raisin in the center of each curve at each end.
• Transfer rolls to a lightly greased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Cover again, and let rise in a warm place for about 60 to 90 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Whisk together the egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush the egg wash over each of the buns to achieve a glistening golden finish during baking. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the buns, for a little added sweetness.
• Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes before eating.

Steps:

• 1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk and add the butter,sugar, saffron, and salt, stirring until the butter has melted. Transfer tothe large bowl of a stand mixer and set aside to cool to lukewarm.2. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, stir to combine,and set aside.3. Add 3/4 cup flour to the milk mixture and mix on low speed until blended,about 1 minute. Beat in the egg yolk on medium speed until well blended, scrapingdown the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Beat in the yeastmixture until well blended. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining flour,a little at a time, to make a soft dough that pulls away from the sides ofthe bowl.4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead untilsmooth, satiny, and no longer sticky, 5 to 8 minutes. Knead in the raisins,golden raisins, mixed peel, and finely chopped almonds. Cut the dough into3 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, then roll each one into a 24-inchlength. Lay the 3 lengths of dough, side by side, on a lightly oiled bakingsheet. Start braiding the lengths of dough loosely from the center to theends. Loop the braided dough into a ring, join the ends, and pinch together.Cover the braid and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.5. Preheat the oven to 375°F.6. Lightly beat the egg white and brush the ring with it. Sprinkle with thechopped blanched almonds and sugar. Bake until the top is golden brown andthe bread sounds hollow, about 25 minutes. Check the bread at 20 minutes and cover with foil if it starts to overbrown. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Decorate with small white candles and holders, holly leaves, and berries. Serve warm with softened butter.From Holiday Baking. Text copyright © 2005 by Sara Perry. Photographs copyright © 2005 by Leigh Beisch. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

Steps:

• Place the butter and milk in a medium bowl. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron with a pinch of the sugar, and stir into the mixture. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in a little of the lukewarm butter mixture, then add the remaining butter mixture, the remaining sugar and the salt.
• Gradually add enough of the flour (almost all of it) to make a workable dough, kneading for 10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook. Shape into a ball, sprinkle with a little flour and cover with a cloth. Allow to rise in a warm spot for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, and knead in additional flour if the dough is sticky. Shape as desired into buns, braids or lengths. Place on lined baking sheets, and allow to rise again for 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400.
• Brush the buns with beaten egg, and press raisins lightly into the dough. Bake until golden and risen, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a bun comes out dry. Smaller buns may take 8 to 10 minutes; larger lengths and braids, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the buns on a rack under a cloth.