Saint John’s coca is a typical Catalonian sweet bread to celebrate Saint John’s eve in June. It is usually covered with custard and nuts, and shaped oval, but I wanted to give it a different twist… would you like to try some?
{Saint-John’s coca}
Preparation time: 30 min plus rising time
Cooking time: 15 min
Total: 45 min
Yield: 12 flowers
difficulty: do not try this at home… it is addictive!
Ingredients:
Preferment
100 gr strong wheat flour
100 ml milk
25 gr fresh yeast
Main dough:
350 gr strong wheat flour
100 gr sugar
50 ml milk
2 eggs
80 gr de butter
1 lemon zest
200 ml custard
1 pinch of de salt
50 gr pinenuts
Directions
The night before prepare the poolish, by mixing all ingredients and letting them rest in a bowl, covered. I usually leave it in the fridge covered with plastic film.
In a large bowl, put strong wheat flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and salt, and mix until well combined. Add poolish and butter, and keep on mixing.When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface , and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Here you’ll find a video showing how to knead a sweet dough by Bertinet, in case it is the first time you knead. Shape into a ball, and let the dough rest in the same bowl you’ve used before until it has doubled its size, it will take about 1 hour.
Divide dough into equal pieces. You will need six pieces for each flower, 1 for the base, and
5 for the petals. Shape into smooth balls, and place on a baking sheet, forming a flower. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven 200 ºC (400ºF). Milk wash the buns, pour some custard and wet pinenuts on the center of the flower and bake for 10 minutes at 180ºC. Let them cool on a wire rack.
Inspired by this recipe from Gastronomía y cia
mmmm… deliciosa!