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Mona de Pascua
Easter brioche with egg
Mona de Pascua: the Valencian Easter brioche crowned with an egg and sugar
On Easter Monday, families across the Valencian Community head out to the countryside or the beach to "menjar-se la mona": they eat an orange-scented sweet brioche, often with a whole egg baked on top, and children crack the egg on a friend's forehead. The bun is soft and fluffy, glazed and sprinkled with sugar or coloured aniseed sprinkles. Here the eggs are hard-boiled first, so they are cooked through whatever the size of your bun. A common mistake is adding all the flour at once to a sticky dough; it softens as you knead, so hold back the last 50 g until you've kneaded for a few minutes. Chef's tip: make the starter the evening before and the dough on the day; the slow start gives a lighter crumb that stays soft for two days.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the starter
- 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- ¼ cup lukewarm water
- ⅞ oz fresh yeastor 9 g fast-action dried yeast
For the dough
- 14 oz strong white bread flour
- 3 ⅞ oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 eggsat room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milklukewarm
- 1 orange zestfrom 1 large orange
- 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)
To finish
- 4 eggshard-boiled for 10 minutes and cooled, in their shells
- 1 eggbeaten, for brushing
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp coloured sugar sprinkles (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: For the starter, dissolve ⅞ oz fresh yeast in ¼ cup lukewarm water and mix with 3 ½ oz strong white bread flour to a soft ball. Cover and leave until doubled and spongy, about 1 hour (or overnight in the fridge).
60 minStep 2: In a large bowl or mixer, combine 14 oz strong white bread flour, 3 ⅞ oz caster sugar and ½ tsp salt. Add the starter, 3 eggs, ¼ cup whole milk, 1 orange zest and the orange blossom water if using. Mix to a sticky dough.
5 minStep 3: Knead for 5 minutes, then add ½ cup sunflower oil or mild olive oil a spoonful at a time, kneading until each addition is absorbed. Carry on for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the dough is glossy, elastic and stretches into a thin, see-through sheet.
18 minStep 4: Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled, 1½ to 2 hours.
105 minStep 5: Divide into 4 pieces and shape each into a smooth ball, tucking the edges underneath. Place on lined trays, flatten slightly to about 2 cm thick and press a hard-boiled egg firmly into the centre of each. You can lay two thin strips of dough across the egg in a cross.
Step 6: Cover loosely and prove until puffy and nearly doubled, 1 to 1½ hours. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
75 minStep 7: Brush the buns (not the eggs) with 1 egg and sprinkle generously with 3 tbsp granulated sugar, plus coloured sprinkles if you like.
Step 8: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until deep golden; the base should sound hollow when tapped and the centre should read about 194°F. Cover loosely with foil if they brown too fast. Place the 4 eggs back in the fridge if the monas won't be eaten within 2 hours, and eat within 2 days.
22 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does mona de Pascua take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- 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 strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
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