Paul Hollywood’s New Cookbook Is Here, and I’m Baking My Way Through It for the Holidays

Baking is a great way to give during the holidays. However, this choice of gifting isn’t without risks. From pastries with soggy bottoms, stodgy bread and dry, overbaked cookies, a lot can go wrong with homemade food gifts. Thankfully, Paul Hollywood’s newest cookbook, Celebrate, has arrived just in time to ensure you’re the “star baker” of the holiday season.

While Paul Hollywood is known as the “king of bread” due to his expertise, impressive bakes and tough judging on The Great British Baking Show, his book is full of tips and recipes suitable for bakers of all skill levels. Beginner bakers will enjoy dipping their toes into holiday favorites like white chocolate, dried cranberry and nut cookies, or Paul’s spiced loaf cake. Meanwhile, more adept bakers will appreciate Celebrate’s advanced recipes like the adorably decorated Igloo cake, complete with fondant-sculpted skiing penguins clad in Santa hats.

'Celebrate' by Paul Hollywood

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Now, don’t be fooled, Celebrate isn’t only for the winter holidays. The cookbook is organized by season, so you can find a suitable bake to prepare for holidays and gatherings throughout the year. Paul’s lemon drizzle loaf cake is already earmarked for Easter, and my kids have both called dibs on his colorful sprinkletti cake for their birthdays.

Personally, I can’t wait to dive into Paul’s classic panettone and chocolate cherry loaf. They look especially delicious for Christmas morning, and his Hollywood hot dogs will definitely be making an appearance at my New Year’s Eve Party. First up, however, is his Christmas couronne.

How to Make Paul Hollywood’s Christmas Couronne

Since Paul’s the “King” when it comes to bread, I felt that putting one of his bread recipes to the test (like when we tested Paul’s focaccia bread) was most appropriate. If you’ve never made a couronne, it is a traditional French bread made from an enriched sweet dough similar to brioche. The dough is typically filled with fruit and nuts and then shaped into a ring-shaped crown. Paul’s recipe features a sweet almond frangipane filling complemented by apricots and a bright lemon icing (like almond-apricot tea rings).

Now, this bake may seem intimidating at first glance, but luckily, the cookbook breaks down the recipe into eight simple steps. Ultimately, the process isn’t that much different from making a batch of homemade cinnamon rolls or a chocolate babka.

Ingredients

• 5-2/3 cups (700g) bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons (10g) fine salt
• 3-3/4 teaspoons (10g) instant yeast
• 3 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, in pieces, softened
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (60g) superfine sugar
• Finely grated zest of two oranges
• 1 cup (250g) water
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (200g) warm whole milk

For the frangipane filling:

• 7 tablespoons (100g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (45g) superfine sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (75g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (100g) almond flour
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (100g) almonds, toasted
• 1-1/4 cups (150g) chopped dried apricots

For the topping: 

• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1 cup (100g) confectioners’ sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
• 1 cup (100g) sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

Place all the ingredients, except the milk, in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on a low speed for four minutes, slowly adding the milk as you do so. Increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Tip the dough into a clean bowl, cover it, and let it rise for three hours.

Editor’s Tip: At this stage, the dough will be rather sticky and loose. Don’t fret if it doesn’t resemble a tight ball.

Step 2: Prepare the frangipane

Meanwhile, make the frangipane. Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each. Add the rest of the flour, baking powder, almond flour and almond extract. Beat well to combine.

Step 3: Roll out the dough, add the filling

Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a rectangle, 16×10 inches, with the long side facing you. Spread the frangipane over the dough, and scatter toasted almonds and dried apricots evenly on top.

Step 4: Roll up

Starting at a long side, roll the dough up tightly to enclose the filling (like a cake roll). Press the edges with your fingers and roll the dough slightly until it is sealed and an even thickness, about 18 inches in length.

Step 5: Cut, twist and shape

Transfer the roll to a sheet of parchment and cut it in half lengthwise. Place the halves next to each other, cut sides facing up. Now twist them neatly around each other and form a ring. Press the ends together to seal.

Step 6: Proof

Slide the twisted dough ring (keeping it on the parchment) onto a baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and leave to proof for two hours. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Editor’s Tip: Keep the temperature of your kitchen in mind while proofing dough. If your kitchen runs hot, the couronne may be ready to go in the oven sooner. If your kitchen is on the cool side, it may need longer. Use Paul’s proof time as a baseline and adjust to your kitchen’s conditions, as the total amount of time bread needs to rise can vary between kitchens.

Step 7: Bake and glaze

Bake the couronne in the oven for 30 minutes, until it is risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the apricot preserves with a splash of water, then strain them through a fine mesh strainer. Brush the warm glaze all over the warm couronne, then leave to cool.

Step 8: Finish with icing and sliced almonds

In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar with the lemon juice and zest to make a thin icing. Drizzle the icing over the cooled couronne and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds. Leave to set before serving.

Here’s What I Thought

Wow! While this Christmas couronne took the better part of a day to prepare (granted, most of that time was spent proofing), it was worth the wait. The bread smells heavenly as it bakes in the oven, and it took every ounce of my willpower to let the icing fully set before trying a slice. The apricot glaze gave the couronne a bakery-quality shine, and the flavor of the bake was exceptional. The bread is soft and pillowy with a nice contrasting crunch from the almonds. Additionally, the sweet almond frangipane is well-balanced by the fruity apricots and tart lemon glaze.

That said, I don’t know if my couronne would earn me a coveted Hollywood handshake. I did lose the center hole of my couronne during the second proof, and a bit of the definition in the twist. However, the texture and flavors of the bread were spot on, so I don’t think Paul would send me packing from the tent. For a first attempt at a couronne, I’m super pleased with the results.

Overall, my assumptions were correct. If you’ve made cinnamon rolls from scratch before, you can (and should) give this holiday bread recipe a try—even if your shaping skills (like mine) could use a bit of refinement. Paul’s directions are brief yet exceptionally clear, so you don’t have to worry about becoming lost or confused while navigating the recipe. I can only imagine that the rest of the recipes in Celebrate will have the same caliber of clarity and tasty results. With this cookbook in hand, I’m ready to bake for the holidays. It’s truly going to be a season full of bakes worthy of celebration.