Gibassier(A French Anise & Orange Flavoured Loaf)

Gibassier

This month we at We Knead to Bake are baking a French breakfast pastry/ bread called Gibassier (pronounced zee-bah-see-ay) from the Provence region. The Gibassier is also the name for large cookie from Lourmarin in particular that’s about a foot long, is made with olive oil and oval shaped like a leaf.

So what is a Gibassier?

The Gibassier is a buttery   French breakfast bread to make it more delicious it’s  flavoured with candied orange peel, orange blossom water and aniseed, and topped with a sprinkling of plain or vanilla sugar.  A Gibassier is shaped  as one big round loaf, or larger or smaller breads. They are slashed/ snipped decoratively before they’re baked.

 Aparna has said that,"Gibassier is one of the 13 traditional French Christmas desserts that are traditionally served after Midnight Mass to signify Christ and his 12 apostles at the Last Supper. Many people refer to the Gibassier as Pompe à Huile (French olive oil bread) while others insist the two are not the same. The Gibassier is somewhat like an Italian Panettone, and it is believed that it must apparently be torn apart with the hands when served to bring good luck in the New Year. It is thought that the Gibassier is named after a mountain peak in the Luberon Mountains, called Le Gibas. Others suggest that the name comes from the “gibacier” which referred to a flat bag that was used to carry game, somewhat similar to the shape of the pastry."

Making Gibassier is not difficult but lenghty as it  involves starting with a “Biga” or pre-ferment which is made the previous night of the baking of this bread.

There are some aspects of the Gibassier which are important because they define this bread.

The use of Orange Blossom Water is important as it gives the Gibassier a distinct flavour that is difficult to replicate with any substitute. So leave it out if you can’t find Orange Blossom Water, or  use 1/2 tsp orange extract instead. Otherwise you can substitute the 1/8 cup water with unsweetened orange juice.

The other important part of this bread is the candied orange peel or you can substitute it with chopped dried apricots soaked in some orange juice.

After baking the Gibassier, brushing them with clarified butter (ghee)while still warm not only gives them a lovely nutty flavour and taste but also helps the dusted sugar to stick well to the bread. Clarified butter is easy enough to make, as all it requires is to melt some butter and cook it till it turns golden.

To make the decorative cuts in the Gibassier, don’t use a knife (however sharp it may be) or anything that drags through the dough. What you need is something that you can push down into the down to make a clean cut.

The entire process of making the Gibassier is exactly Aparna’s no change. I am just coping and pasting here recipe.

Gibassier (A French Anise & Orange Flavoured Loaf)

Recipe Source: CirilHitz’s Baking Artisan Pastries and Breads

Ingredients:

For the Pre-ferment (Biga):

• 1 1/2  cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/16 tsp instant yeast

For the Dough:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup orange blossom water*
• 1/8 cup warm water (or orange juice) **
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour
• All the pre-ferment/ Biga from above
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 3/4 tsp instant yeast
• 75 gm butter, slightly soft***
• 1 1/2 to 2 tsp anise seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped candied orange peel (I used dried apricots) ****
• 1tsp orange zest (use 2 tsp if using dried apricot)

For Glazing and Dusting the Gibassier

• 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup clarified butter (ghee) *****
• Vanilla sugar or castor sugar

Method:

• The pre-ferment has to be made the night before the Gibassier are baked. So the previous night, mix together the ingredients for the pre-ferment into a slightly stiff but smooth dough. Add a little more milk if your dough is too stiff.
• Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and cover loosely. Let it stand, at room temperature, for about 14 to 16 hours. At the end of this time, the dough would have risen and have a fermented look. 
• The next morning, make the dough for the Gibassier. You can do this by hand, but it will require some effort as the dough can get a bit sticky. Using a kitchen machine or a food processor will make things easier.
• Put the eggs, olive oil and Orange Blossom Water in the processor bowl and run a couple of times to mix well. Then add the warm water and mix. If the water is too hot, the mixture will curdle because of the eggs!
• Now add the pre-ferment (tear it up into chunks first so it will mix easily), bread flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and knead until the dough is smooth. Now add the butter in chunks (3 or four times) and knead until the butter is incorporated into the dough before adding the next chunk. Knead well until the dough is soft and supple.
• Add the chopped candied orange (or apricots), aniseed and the zest and knead till incorporated. Shape the dough into a round and place in a well-oiled bowl turning it to coat well. Cover loosely and allow the dough to double in volume. This should take about 2 hours.
• When done, turn the dough out onto your working surface. Divide it into 12 equal portions, shape each into a round and let the dough rest for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then shape and flatten each round into a semi-circle or oval.  Make three cuts in the semi-circle, one in the centre and two on either side of this cut from the straight edge to the arch of the semi-circle (see photographs), by pushing your implement straight into the dough. Making sure the cuts open up into neat slits. Then using scissors make 4 snips along the arched side at equal distance.
• Lift the Gibassier dough and transfer it to a parchment lined baking sheet making sure to stretch it a little so the cuts open up well and the slits also spread a bit. Repeat with all the balls of dough, and let the shaped dough rise for about 30 to 45 minutes till a little puffy.
• Then bake them at 180C (350F) for about 10 to 15 minutes till they turn a golden brown on top.
• Take the Gibassier out of the oven and brush them while still hot, with clarified butter/ ghee. Immediately press the brushed side down lightly (or sprinkle with sugar instead) into vanilla sugar or castor sugar. Then let them cool on a rack.
• Serve them slightly warm or at room temperature with coffee or tea. This recipe makes 12 large Gibassier.

Notes:

*What gives this bread its signature aroma is the orange flavour and orange blossom water makes all the difference. It is difficult to replicate with substitutions, so if you cannot find it, you may leave it out altogether. In this recipe since orange is an important flavour, you can use 1/2 tsp orange extract instead, if you have it. Otherwise you can substitute the 1/8 cup water with unsweetened orange juice.

**If you are using apricots instead of candies orange peel, replace the 1/8 cup water with warm unsweetened orange juice.

***It is important to use butter that is just beginning to soften. The butter should be somewhat cold but just soft enough for you to press down with your finger. If your butter is too soft you might have greasy Gibassier.

****You can make your own candied orange peel if you want to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWr4kDoYNsQ&noredirect=1

If you don’t like candied peel, you can substitute it with chopped dried apricots. But then remember to use warm orange juice instead of warm water for a stronger orange flavour.

*****If you don’t have ghee, you can make your own clarified butter. Just put unsalted butter in a pan and melt it. Let it boil and bubble on medium heat until it turns golden. Strain out the solids and you have clarified butter/ ghee. Store in a glass jar.

You can use melted butter instead of clarified butter but you will not get the same flavour.

You can make your own vanilla sugar at home, by steeping slit vanilla pods (whole or those from which you have removed the seeds) in a jar of granulated or castor sugar. Let it sit for about a week or two and your vanilla sugar is ready for use.

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