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Craquelin
Brioche with sugar cube pockets
Belgian brioche loaf hiding sweet pockets of melted sugar cubes
BelgianSugar cubes, of all things, are the secret of the Belgian craquelin. Bakers in Ghent, Bruges and Brussels wrap broken cubes inside rich brioche, and as the loaf bakes they melt into little wells of syrup that set crunchy, while pearl sugar crackles on the crust (hence the name). It is a Sunday breakfast and weekend bakery loaf, sliced thick and eaten plain or with butter and a bowl of café au lait; Flemish bakers sometimes add orange zest. Leaving sugar pieces exposed on the outside, especially the base, is the usual pitfall: they caramelise, burn and glue the loaf to the tin. Chef's tip: chill the kneaded brioche for at least an hour before you fold in the sugar, so the butter firms and the dough is easy to wrap around the cubes.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the brioche
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- ⅓ oz instant dried yeast
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup whole milklukewarm
- 4 eggsat room temperature
- 7 oz buttersoftened, diced
- 1 tsp orange zest (optional)
For the sugar
- 4 oz sugar cubeseach broken into 2–4 pieces
- 1 ⅜ oz pearl sugar
To finish
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ⅓ oz instant dried yeast, 1 ¾ oz caster sugar and 1 ½ tsp salt in a mixer bowl, adding the orange zest if using. Add ½ cup whole milk and 4 eggs and knead with the dough hook on low for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Add 7 oz butter a few cubes at a time, kneading on medium until each addition disappears. Knead on for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is glossy and stretches into a thin sheet.
12 minStep 3: Cover and leave for 1 hour at room temperature, then chill for at least 1 hour (or overnight), until firm.
120 minStep 5: Scatter 4 oz sugar cubes and half of 1 ⅜ oz pearl sugar over it, keeping 3 cm of one short edge clear. Roll up tightly from the other short edge, tucking in any pieces that escape, and pinch the seam.
Step 6: Set it seam side down in the tin. Cover and prove for 1–1½ hours at room temperature, until it domes just above the rim.
80 minStep 7: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Brush with 1 egg and scatter the rest of the pearl sugar on top.
Step 8: Bake for 35–40 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes, until deep golden, the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath and the centre reads 88–194°F.
38 minStep 9: Turn out after 5 minutes, before the sugar sets in the tin, and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 360 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does craquelin take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 140 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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