Navettes provencales

In Provence, they make these pastries for Candlemas, the origin of their name coming from the word  "nave", meaning embarkation, - the carrying of the virgin Mary to Saintes-Maries-de-la-mer.
This recipe takes 6 hours of preparation and is difficult.

Serves16 : 675g flour 300g sugar zest of half a lemon 160g water 20g baker’s yeast    100g orange flower water   25g mild olive oil 90g softened butter 1 egg for glazing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Pour 160 gr of tepid water into a bowl, crumble the baker’s yeast unto it and mix it in.
2. Grate the lemon zest over the sugar and mix together.
   
3.  Place the flour in a food processor, make a small hollow in the centre and place in the sugar, the yeast mixture, the orange flower water, oil and softened butter.
   
4.  Knead the dough at a speed of 0.8 for 10 minutes.   
   
5. Cover the bowl with a sheet of baking parchment and leave in a warm place (26° C) away from any drafts for 2 to 3 hours.  The dough should double in size. 
   
6. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a floured work surface and tap it gently so that it falls.  Then stretch the dough carefully to make a long sausage.
   
7. Cut 16 equal sized pieces.
   
8. Take the first piece, stretch it into a sausage of between 18 to 20 cm. (see photo)  then with the side of your hand, make a ball at each end.
9. Do the same for 7 other "navettes",
   placing them onto a sheet
   of baking parchment as you go.                                   

1. With the 8 remaining pieces of dough, you are going to make 16 smaller navettes,
   to resemble little barques or boats.
   
   Cut each piece into two, then make a sausage;
    shape each end into a point.

 

1. When the navettes are ready, brush them with beaten egg.
    Then cover with another sheet of baking parchment
   and leave them in a cool place (13°à 18° C) for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours.
   At the end of this, the pastry should be hard enough to slash – if not, refrigerate them for 15 to 20 minutes so that they harden enough.  With a razor blade make a deep, straight slash in each navette, to represent the "barque".
   
   Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C for 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them to ensure that the tops don’t burn. Remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
   

 

 

                 

 

When they cool, the navettes will harden slightly.  If you want to eat them the following day, warm them in the oven, grill or toaster for 1 to 2 minutes and they will regain their texture and aroma