loveFOOD does Bake Off! Making a couronne with Kimberley

Last week Charlotte came a cropper on the tuile technical challenge. This week Editor Andrew attempted to make Paul's apricot couronne, with the added stress of Bake Off contestant Kimberley watching him… no pressure, then!

I'd just interviewed Bake Off's Kimberley for a new secret project which we're working on here at lovefood (more on that in a few weeks), but when she said she'd like to stick around and not only watch, but judge my attempt at this week's 'technical challenge', I knew I couldn't mess up. 

For those of you who didn't watch the episode (you can here), this week's Bake Off was all about sweet doughs, and the 'technical' was Paul Hollywood's almond and apricot couronne ('couronne' is French for 'crown'). It involves making and proving an egg-enriched dough; rolling it into a rectangle; spreading over a fruit and nut mixture; and shaping into a sausage, cutting lengthways, then plaiting. The 'crown' is then proved a second time, before being baked. 

A relaxed attitude to baking

I don't really have a sweet tooth, and am not great at following precise baking recipes. I cook more by the seat of my pants, regarding a recipe like a vague set of guidelines rather than instructions. I also hate reading recipes while cooking - it's like reading the Lovers' Guide while, ahem, lovin'. All of which makes a lousy attitude for baking. 

Ready, steady, BAKE!

We started the clock and off I went. Kimberley was not impressed with my "two good pinches is about five grams, right?" approach to weighing the salt. I'm a pretty good judge of amounts though, and when I hit 90g of butter dead on by eye I felt empowered. This baking lark is easy!

So, midway through the recipe now, my dough proving in a 50C oven, and my mix already made, we all had a nice cup of tea. I could have left it to prove for a little longer, but time was ticking on. With only a vague written description to go on, and remembering Howard's large oblong, I rolled out my dough and spread the filling on. 

Let's twist again...

Now the tricky bit: the roll. There was some discussion about 'tacking down' and such, but actually the dough was pretty resilient and I managed to get it all rolled up into a sausage about 1.5ft long. After cutting down the length of the roll I platted the two strands, and sort of squished the ends together. This gave me a nice exposed interior, so hopefully I wouldn't suffer the fate of Christine. All the time I was doing this, Kimberley adopted the role of producer Tallulah Radula-Scott, who walks around between takes asking probing questions that fill your heart with doubt and fear. 

We didn't have a large bag for the second prove, so I just put a deep oven dish over it and slammed it back in the oven at 38C. Again, I could have left it for longer, which would have perhaps given it a bit more height... but I decided against it.

I'm going for it!

In the top oven it went at a scorching 200C, and after five minutes the kitchen smelled amazing. I turned the heat down after 15 minutes as I didn't want any exposed apricot pieces on the outside to burn, which is what happened to Glenn. 

While my couronne was cooking I made my icing, then after 20-odd minutes I deemed it ready. This was shorter than the cooking time stated in the recipe, but then sometimes religiously following a recipe rather than using your senses can make things worse. Time to glaze and ice it. We didn't have any apricot jam in the kitchen, so I used lemon marmalade, which gave the required sheen, and if anything a more citrussy note.

The verdict...

Kimberley cut herself a slice and took a bite. Her verdict? "Good!" But I should have let my couronne cool a little before applying the icing, as when a surface is too warm icing just turns translucent and melts away. "Mary would have said, 'you should have toasted the almonds'," said Kimberley. Charlotte pronounced it "a bit dry," to which I replied, "then we need another cup of tea!"

Chuffed to bits

I wouldn't have normally attempted something like this (I'm more of a crumble or bread kind of chap), but as Kimberley tweeted, I did feel a sense of pride at pulling it off. It looked pretty good, and tasted nice. I took the rest home for my family and neighbours, who all scoffed it in minutes, which tells you something. My couronne might not have won star baker, but I think I wouldn't have gone out, had Paul and Mary been judging my efforts. 

Do you want to see more?

Finally, 'lovefood does Bake Off!' pieces take a great deal of effort, and we think as the competition gets towards the final, things are going to get even more complicated and time consuming. So depending on what's next week, this may be the last one... unless you'd like us to carry on? Let's us know in the comments box below. 

Lovefood does Bake Off: can we make egg custard tarts?

Lovefood does Bake Off! Can we make tuile biscuits?

Great British Bake Off: past stars, and who should win this year

John Whaite wins 2012 Great British Bake Off

Top baking tips from the pros by Charlotte Morgan

How to enter TV cookery competitions