Best 3 La Pompe A Lhuile Recipes

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In the vast culinary tapestry of French cuisine, few dishes hold a more cherished place than La Pompe à l'Huile, also lovingly known as fougasse, a delectable bread that has captivated taste buds for centuries. Originating in Provence, the heart of southern France, this culinary gem is a testament to the region's rich culinary heritage. This article will tantalize your taste buds with three irresistible recipes for La Pompe à l'Huile, each offering a unique twist on this Provençal classic. From the traditional version, rooted in the essence of simplicity, to a tantalizing rendition studded with olives and anchovies, to a modern interpretation infused with aromatic herbs, these recipes will guide you in crafting this delectable bread in the comfort of your own kitchen. Let's embark on a journey into the world of La Pompe à l'Huile, where every bite promises a taste of Provencal sunshine.

Let's cook with our recipes!

POMPE à L'HUILE (OLIVE OIL BRIOCHE)



Pompe à l'huile (Olive oil brioche) image

Pompe à l'huile is a traditional Christmas dessert from Provence, France. It's an olive oil bread that's subtly sweet, very soft, and tantalizingly aromatic with orange and anise. The bread is made in a pull-apart style that's perfect for sharing and savoring warm from the oven.

Provided by Melissa Johnson

Categories     Recipes

Time 1h3m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 30

Yeast Version
170g water (2/3 cup + 1 Tbsp)
100g sugar (½ cup)
12g orange blossom water (1 Tbsp)
9g salt (1½ tsp)
3g ground anise (1 tsp)
Zest from 1 orange
36g orange juice (3 Tbsp)
120g olive oil (½ cup + 1 Tbsp)
500g bread flour (3¾ cups)
7g instant dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp / 1 packet)
Sourdough Version
Stiff Levain (250g, 56% hydration)
140g bread or all purpose flour
70g water
40g starter, 100% hydration
Final Dough
80g water (1/3 cup)
100g sugar (½ cup)
12g orange blossom water (1 Tbsp)
9g salt (1½ tsp)
3g ground anise (1 tsp)
Zest from 1 orange
36g orange juice (3 Tbsp)
120g olive oil (½ cup + 1 Tbsp)
350g bread flour (2 2/3 cups)
250g stiff levain from above, doubled or tripled in size
Optional
1 Tbsp olive oil to brush on the breads when hot from the oven
2 Tbsp powdered sugar to sprinkle on the breads once cooled

Steps:

  • Check out the photo gallery below the recipe to see how the dough looks at each step.
  • For the sourdough version
  • The night before you plan to bake, mix a 56% hydration sourdough starter weighing 250g. Knead it on the counter for 1-2 minutes, and then place it in a jar with room for tripling. Cover and leave it somewhere warm. This stiff starter can be created from a single feed of 40g 100% hydration starter, 140g bread flour, and 70g water.
  • Optional for the yeast version
  • Just before mixing your dough, put a portion of the recipe's water in a small bowl with the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Let the yeast dissolve and foam up.
  • Both Recipes
  • Mixing
  • In a medium bowl (ideally with a pouring spout), measure out the water, sugar, orange blossom water, salt, and ground anise.
  • While the sugar and salt begin dissolving, zest and juice the orange, straining out seeds and pulp.
  • Stir a bit and then add the oil.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, briefly whisk your flour and instant yeast - OR - add the stiff starter in chunks to your flour. If you chose to proof your yeast, you can simply pour the mixture over the flour.
  • Add the orange mixture to your stand mixer bowl and begin mixing using the dough hook attachment.
  • Mix 5-8 minutes, initially on low speed and then low-med. Pause once early on to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The dough should be smooth and only slightly sticky to the touch toward the end of mixing.
  • If you don't have a stand mixer, mix by hand or with a spatula, and then slap and fold the dough for gluten development. Videos of this technique can be found here.
  • First Rise
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place (ideally at temps in the low 80s) until about doubled. This was 3 1/2 hours with instant yeast, and 8 hours with sourdough.
  • Shaping
  • Scrape the dough onto your countertop. There's no need to flour or oil it. Divide the dough in two pieces and roll them into balls.
  • Cover the dough balls with a large piece of plastic wrap (you'll reuse this) and let them rest for about 20 minutes.
  • Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also prepare two parchment squares and bake the breads one at a time on a smaller baking sheet.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough balls into circles about 8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.
  • Transfer the circles to the parchment paper, and make cuts in the dough as if it were pie but without reaching the center or the edges. Open the cuts a bit with your tool (spatula) or your fingers.
  • Final Proof
  • Cover the dough with your sheet of plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until puffy, almost twice as tall. This was 1 1/2 hours for instant yeast, and 4 hours for sourdough.
  • Baking
  • Preheat your oven to 400°F with a shelf in the center position.
  • Bake the pompe à l'huile for 16-18 minutes or until the internal temp is over 200°F. If your fermentation times were long, the color of the breads may be lighter despite the interior being cooked through.
  • Lightly brush the breads with olive oil to help them stay soft longer.
  • Let the pompe à l'huile cool on a rack for about 20 minutes, then sprinkle powdered sugar on them if desired.
  • The breads can be wrapped for storage, and softened through reheating in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

LA POMPE A L'HUILE



La Pompe a l'Huile image

Categories     Bread     Bake     Winter     House & Garden

Yield Makes two 13-inch round loaves

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 packages active dried yeast
1/2 cup warm water
7 cups flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
10 Tbsp. (1 stick plus 2 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
5 Tbsp. fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. orange flower water
2 tsp. aniseeds, toasted
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
1 egg yolk

Steps:

  • Mix the yeast with the 1/2 cup warm water and set aside.
  • Sift the flour, powdered sugar, and salt into a large bowl (preferably wood). Make an indentation in the center and add the yeast mixture, melted butter, olive oil, orange flower water, and aniseeds.
  • Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups of water with a wooden spoon, then knead the dough until it is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary. The dough should be quite soft. Form the dough into a ball and put it back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a cloth, and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets. When the dough has risen, divide it in half and form two balls. Place one on each baking sheet. Flatten the balls with your hand. With a rolling pin, roll each flattened ball into a large circle about 3/4 inch thick.
  • Using a pastry wheel or sharp knife and starting about an inch to one side of the center, make three diagonal cuts slanting downward. Make symmetrical cuts on the other side. Repeat this process with the other loaf. Gently spread the cuts apart with your fingers to form irregular oval opening about 2 inches wide. They will close up a bit during cooking.
  • Using a pastry brush or your fingers, smear half of the egg yolk over the top of each loaf. Place one loaf in the refrigerator while baking the other. Bake each loaf on the middle rack of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until deep golden. Five minutes prior to the first loaf being done, remove the second from the refrigerator and let rest before baking.
  • Cool the loaves on wire racks. The loaves may be eaten warm or at room temperature. To store, wrap the cooled loaves in aluminum foil. They will keep for up to 48 hours at room temperature or frozen for up to one week.

LA POMPE A L'HUILE



La Pompe a l'Huile image

This Provencal brioche, made with olive oil, can be the centerpiece of any table.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Breakfast & Brunch Recipes     Bread Recipes

Yield Makes 2 loaves

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/4 cup sugar
7 cups bread flour
1 packet active dry yeast
1/4 cup finely chopped candied orange peel
1 tablespoon anise seeds
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl and pans
1 tablespoon orange-flower water
All-purpose flour, for rolling out dough

Steps:

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, place the salt, sugar, bread flour, yeast, candied orange peel, anise seeds, and zest. Mix ingredients on low speed until combined.
  • Place the orange juice, eggs, olive oil, and orange-flower water in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with warm water, measuring 2 1/2 cups. Pour this mixture over the flour mixture; mix on low speed until shiny and elastic, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, and set aside. Dust a clean work surface lightly with flour; turn out the dough. Gather dough into a smooth ball, and place dough in the oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
  • Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, and lightly oil two baking pans. Turn out the dough, and divide into two equal pieces. Roll one piece into a 12-inch-diameter disk, about 1/3-inch thick. Cut three decorative slits in center of dough, and stretch each slit, enlarging it. Transfer the disk to a baking pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise for 50 minutes. Repeat with remaining piece of dough.
  • Heat oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap both disks. Bake bread until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap bread in plastic, and store at room temperature up to 2 days.

Tips:

  • Mise en place: Before you start baking, make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment you need. This will help you stay organized and avoid any mishaps.
  • Use high-quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will greatly affect the taste of your Pompe à l'huile. Use fresh, organic ingredients whenever possible.
  • Knead the dough properly: The dough for Pompe à l'huile should be kneaded until it is smooth and elastic. This will help it to rise properly and give it a chewy texture. Not kneading the dough enough will result in a dense, heavy loaf of bread.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place: The dough should rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This will help it to develop its full flavor and aroma.
  • Bake the bread at a high temperature: The bread should be baked at a high temperature (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first 15 minutes. This will help it to develop a crispy crust. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes.
  • Let the bread cool before slicing: Once the bread is baked, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This will help it to keep its shape and prevent it from crumbling.

Conclusion:

Pompe à l'huile is a delicious and versatile bread that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or simply served with a dollop of butter. With its unique flavor and texture, Pompe à l'huile is sure to become a favorite in your home.

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