This will not happen often but for this recipe I advise you to use a mechanical mixing bowl to realize this brioche recipe. Although the recipe can be made by hand, an excellent final result will be guaranteed in this way.
1 In the bowl of your food processor or a in a "normal" bowl, place the salt, sugar, rum, orange blossom water, water and the zest and set it to mix slowly for a minute or two then add the flour and yeast. Next, start adding the eggs one by one and raise the speed of your machine up slightly. Allow to mix at that speed for 10 minutes.
Add the butter little by little and finally the 75g (2.6 oz) of mixed peels that are lightly floured.
2 Clear your dough into a bowl, cover it with a clean cloth and place in a warm place to rise for 2 hours.
3 Break (lift the dough until it has collapsed) your dough by hand. Put it back in your bowl, cover and put it in the fridge for 4 hours.
4 Break the dough a second time and place it on a well floured surface. Gather the dough into a ball. Then, punch a hole in the middle with a finger and start stretching that hole until the dough makes a nice ring. Then place a dry broad bean*, randomly into the ring.
5 Carefully, put your ring onto a lined baking tray and allow to improve for another 1h30.
6 Start your oven 190'C (374'F)
7 Make an egg wash with the egg yolk and some water and coat your crown. Optional: sprinkle your candy sugar at this point.
8 Bake for 30 minutes. Then, take your brioche out and spoon the rest of the mixed peels on the top of it. Put back in the oven for 5 more minutes.
* The broad bean is a French tradition on the day of Epiphany. The person who gets the broad bean hidden into the brioche is crowned king, in reference to the three kings of the bible.
This recipe is not that difficult, but very time consuming as all the improving times have to be respected in accord to get a perfect final result.
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