Provençal Olive Oil Bread and the Thirteen Desserts

The preparation step by step

1. Weigh the ingredients

   Weigh 400 g of flour, 90 g of sugar, 7 g of dry yeast and 4 g of salt. Measure 140 ml of water, 90 ml of sweet olive oil and 30 ml of food orange blossom. Reserve 10 g of the 90 g of sugar for the top, so it remains 80 g in the dough.

2. Prepare the zest and yeast

   Wash the orange and then finely remove its zest without the white part. Heat the 140 ml of water to about 30 °C. If the yeast needs to be rehydrated according to its sachet, do it with this water already measured, without additional liquid.

3. Mixing dry elements

   In a large bowl, mix the 400 g of flour, the 80 g of dough sugar and the yeast. Then pour the warm water, olive oil and orange blossom, then add the zest and 4 g of salt. Start with the spatula.

4. Knead the dough

   When all the flour is moistened, knead 8 to 10 minutes by hand pushing and then folding the dough, or 6 to 8 minutes by crochet at low speed. It should become supple and smooth, without being dry. Do not add flour by handles.

5. Let it swell for the first time

   Gather the dough into a ball in the bowl. Cover and leaves for about 1 hour 30 minutes at temperate temperature, until a clear swelling. The time can be longer if the kitchen is cool; do not place the dough against a strong heat source.

6. Spread the cake

   Press gently to chase away the biggest bubbles. Spread on a sheet of baking paper in oval of 30 x 22 cm, on 1 to 1.5 cm thick. Moves the sheet over the plate without tearing the dough.

7. Opens six notches

   With a knife, practice three oblique notches on each side of the central axis, six in total. Gently spread each opening to 1.5 cm with your fingers. They will tighten during the second rise; simple fine lines would disappear.

8. Leave for the second rise

   Cover slightly and leaves 45 minutes on the plate. The cake should take up volume and the edges of the notches should be rounded. During the last few minutes, preheat the oven to 180 °C, conventional oven setting (no fan).

9. Sugar and cooking

   Spread the 10 g of sugar reserved on top. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. The surface should be golden and the underside cooked. If the oven colors too much an edge, turn the baking tray; do not extend until you get a dry cake.

10. Cool on wire rack

    Go out with oven gloves and leave 5 minutes on the plate. Then slide the pump onto a wire rack. Wait at least 45 minutes before serving so that the steam escapes and the crumb stabilizes.

11. Compose the thirteen desserts

    The pump is a dessert. For a family tray, add in small containers: 50 g of nuts, 50 g of almonds, 50 g of raisins, 80 g of dried figs, 80 g of white nougat, 80 g of black nougat, 100 g of dates, 100 g of quince paste, 200 g of fresh grapes, 4 tangerines, 4 small calissons and 2 apples. This forms thirteen elements with the pump; these products are bought ready to serve.

12. Present and share

    Wash the fresh fruit and dispose of cookies and dried fruits separately. Break the pump into pieces at the time of service. This composition is a proposal among local uses, not a single list mandatory for all of Provence. Keep each remainder separately according to its nature.