It is easy to trace a parallel history between the breads and roscones de Reyes. The loaves and roscones that 15 years ago appeared on the lists of “the best of” which we press guys are so fond of, would not pass the cotton test today.
The secret is in the mass(ies) that, after years of involution, have returned to their own rights in recent times and, in the case at hand, cornering the roscón-pedrusco. It must be said clearly: today more roscones are made fluffy never.
The ingredients have not changed much since the ‘gateu des Rois’ French crossed the border and the pastry chef Adolfo Solichón included an original recipe for “king cake” in his book ‘The culinary art’ from 1901. Flour, eggs, sugar, yeast, salt and “a quart of liquid” where half of water, a quarter of rum and a quarter of orange blossom water enter.
Besides, 125 grams of “cow butter” and shaved lemon and orange peels. Reference is already made in this recipe to similar doughs such as “brioche or babá” doughs. to look for relatives to connect this roscón with.
But, what has changed in recent times to achieve the being or not being of the roscón: that juiciness that takes it out of mediocrity? Explain Xavier Barriga, from the Turris pastry shops (Barcelona and Madrid), who, in his opinion, “the dough has changed a lot in recent times. Now it incorporates sourdough and this was something that before was something that was not usually done.” In his case, in addition to incorporating that sourdough, he has increased “the proportion of butter and decreased proportion of sugar in the dough”. Barriga also resorts to small tricks like “adding honey or combining butter with olive oil.”
Jacobo and Pablo Moreno, production directors of Mallorca (with different points of sale in Madrid), corroborate that their dough has also changed to “include a greater amount of butter and egg yolk, which makes it fatter, spongier and more airy. The goal is for the crumb to be very silky.”
Alejandro García, master pastry chef of Umikobake, -the pastry faction of the Umiko restaurant (Madrid) and winner of the best roscón of the year in the capital- even refers to a change of paradigm in the union: “Years ago the roscón was a product little valued by pastry chefs and now It is being given more love and prominence. There is also greater competition among professionals and that means that increasingly better raw materials are used in order to achieve the highest possible quality.”
Oriol Balaguerin charge of the pastry shops of the same name (Barcelona and Madrid) and the historic The Duchess (Madrid), also believes that “the dough has changed slightly: now it is more ethereal and with a more enhanced orange blossom flavor. Historically the dough had always had more body, it had been subtly dense and today it is much lighter.”
Matter of time
They point it out Marina Rivas and Inés Ortega in the book ‘Our desserts’ (Alianza Editorial), spiritual successor to the work of the mother of Inés, the giant Simone Ortega. As an added tip to their roscón recipe, they explain that if the result is not spongy, the solution “is letting the dough rest twice”. The rest of the pastry chefs corroborate this: patience and dedication, counted in number of hours, have a reward.
Begoña San Pedro, from Madreamiga (with different stores in Madrid), points out that “the biggest trick to achieving a silky and moist crumb is a long fermentation. “That means giving the product the rest it needs.” García, from Umikobake, looks back again to point out that everything has changed: “Before, the dough was made and cooked immediately, but today the process requires several days. For example, at Umikobake it takes us two days between fermentation and baking”.
Kneading is another critical point, as they explain from Mallorca: “When shaping a roscón, it is recommended that the dough not be stretched too much and that it always be “chubby.” This way it will always last longer for a tender time. Careful with baking, which should not be too long to prevent the roscón from drying out too much.
Conservation at home, essential
But all the previous efforts fall on deaf ears if once the roscón passes into the hands of the customer it is not preserved correctly. Assuming that the roscón is a traditional sweet that is not intended to last too long, there are some rules that can help it not become a cork within a few hours of purchasing it.
Laura Belza and Sara Gutiérrez, bakery and pastry managers at The Omar (workshop, pastry shop and bistro located in the Thompson Madrid hotel), they point out that “the roscón lasts in good condition for a couple of days. If it is without filling, it should be well covered, without letting air in so that the dough does not dry out. In the case of fillings, it is better to keep them in the refrigerator (if they are not going to be consumed immediately) and take them out so that they are at room temperature for a while before consuming them.
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If we want a little extra protection, San Pedro de Madreamiga recommends taking care of the unfilled roscón by “keeping it in plastic so that the crumb does not dry out, and keeping it in an area of the house that is not very warm –watch out for Christmas heating”.
Finally, Barriga de Turris warns that we must avoid uncovering the roscón at all costs if what we want is for it not to lose properties. “If it comes in a box, you have to try to keep it closed and, if it comes in a bag, it should be well closed too.” Refrain curious, therefore: lOr better for the roscón is to leave it alone until it’s time to sink your teeth into it.