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Traditional Easter Mona SourdoughForki
The Traditional Easter MonaTRADITIONALsourdoughForki is a spongy and aromatic cake made with sourdough, where each bite conveys tradition through its soft and light texture.
vegetarian
oven
cake
dessert
traditional
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • Preferment ingredients
  • 100 gstrong flour
  • 60 mlwater
  • 50 gactive sourdough starter (refreshed the day before)
  • Dough ingredients
  • 210 gsourdough starter
  • 250 gstrong flour
  • 70 mlmilk (note: initially we will not add all of it)
  • 2 medium-sized eggs
  • 50 gbutter or lard at room temperature
  • 50 gsugar
  • 3 gsalt
  • 20 mlanise
  • 10 mlMuscat
  • 2 gcinnamon powder
  • 5 gground anise
  • 1 grated nutmeg
  • 1 ground clove crushed by mortar and pestle
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 15 ghoney
  • For decorating
  • 1 egg yolk for brushing
  • milk for painting
  • 2 tablespoonswhite sugar
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
938 kcal
Protein
35 g
Fat
41 g
Carbohydrates
110 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Preparation

Traditional Easter Mona SourdoughForki — Preparation
Preparation
  • Begin by preparing all the necessary ingredients. Wash and chop the vegetables into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking. Set them aside.
  • Heat a large pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a drizzle of olive oil and let it heat for a minute before adding the vegetables.
  • Add the vegetables and sauté them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until they are golden and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the hot chicken broth to the pot with the vegetables. Bring the contents to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 20 minutes, partially covering the pot.
  • While the soup is simmering, prepare other elements for the dish, such as toasted bread or a desired side.
  • Once the cooking time has elapsed, remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy the dish while it is still warm.

Day-1: Activate the sourdough starter in the afternoon

  • Remove the sourdough from the refrigerator around noon and let it come to room temperature for about 4 to 5 hours. This will allow it to reactivate before proceeding to the next step.
  • When the sourdough is at room temperature, separate 50 grams into a bowl. Add 50 grams of flour and 50 milliliters of room temperature water. Mix the ingredients well until you obtain a smooth mixture without lumps.
  • Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the mixture rest outside the refrigerator overnight until the next morning, allowing the sourdough to fully activate.

Day

  • Place in a bowl 50 grams of sourdough prepared the previous afternoon, 100 grams of strong flour, and 60 ml of warm water. Mix well until you have a homogeneous dough and knead for 6 minutes.
  • Let the dough rest in the bowl covered with a damp cloth for five hours at room temperature.

Preliminary Preparations

Traditional Easter Mona SourdoughForki — Preliminary Preparations
Preliminary Preparations
  • Take the butter out of the fridge at least an hour before using it to let it soften, making it easier to work with. It should reach room temperature.
  • Sift the flour with a sieve or fine colander to remove impurities and prevent lumps.
  • Crush the cloves and fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle until well ground.
  • Transfer the crushed spices to the hand mixer bowl (Pymer), add the grated nutmeg and ground cinnamon. Grind the mixture until obtaining the finest blend possible.
  • Scald half of the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches about 45°C. Infuse the ground spices into it, mixing well, and set aside.
  • If you wish to add traditional whole eggs, first you will need to boil them for about 10-12 minutes to obtain hard-boiled eggs. Note: You might not need to use all the milk if the size of the eggs is somewhat large.

Laminating the Dough and Second Fermentation

  • In a large bowl, mix the sugar, honey, softened or small pieces of butter, salt, the portion of milk with the infused spices, lemon zest, anis, muscatel, and prepared preferment. Ensure that all ingredients are well integrated from the start of the process.
  • Stir the mixture with your fingers until everything is well combined. Note: If you have a stand mixer, use the K beater for 4 minutes to ensure the mixture is uniform, maintaining a moderate speed.
  • Add the eggs to the mixture and stir until they are completely integrated. Note: With the stand mixer, continue using the K beater, maintaining a low speed until the eggs are fully mixed.
  • Incorporate 3/4 parts of the sifted flour (not all at once, as the dough may require more or less depending on the size of the eggs). Continue kneading within the bowl, folding the dough over itself to encourage gluten development and a smooth texture.
  • Add the remaining flour, spoonful by spoonful, and keep kneading until the dough detaches from the sides of the bowl. This process may require time and patience. Note: It is very likely that the remaining milk won't be necessary. Note: Using a mixer, continue with the K paddle until well combined. Switch the K paddle for the dough hook and knead for about 12 minutes (6 minutes at low speed and 6 minutes at medium speed) until the dough detaches from the sides.
  • If the dough still doesn’t detach from the sides, let it rest for 5 minutes, then knead for an additional 5 minutes. Repeat this cycle of resting and kneading as needed until the dough separates from the sides, although it might remain stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
  • When the dough no longer adheres to the sides of the bowl, turn it out onto a floured countertop. Stretch the dough with the palms of your hands to each side and then roll it over itself to form a compact ball again.
  • Now we will combine kneading using the Bertinet method with the stretching technique explained earlier. This method helps to oxygenate the dough and improve its elasticity.
  • Grab the ball from the center with both hands from underneath, and stretch it towards yourself while lifting it from the countertop. This technique helps to optimally develop the gluten.
  • When the dough lengthens, fold the part in your hands over the portion that remains stretched on the countertop, reforming a ball. This movement should be done carefully so as not to tear the dough.
  • Repeat the process several times until the ball remains firm and has an elastic, homogeneous texture.
  • Let the dough rest at room temperature in a large bowl, slightly greased with oil and covered with plastic wrap, until it doubles in size. This process may take about 5-6 hours, depending on the ambient temperature.
  • Once the resting time has passed and the dough has doubled in volume, you can shape the dough into a ring to form the final product.

Shape the Crown Third Fermentation

  • Place parchment paper on the tray and lightly grease it with oil or butter to prevent the dough from sticking during the baking process.
  • Pour the dough directly onto the parchment paper, trying to center it well.
  • With your hands, make a hole in the center of the dough, gently pushing it towards the edges. Gradually, widen the hole carefully until you achieve a diameter of approximately 30 cm. If the dough contracts, let it rest for about 10 minutes before attempting to widen it again.
  • Brush the entire surface of the ring with egg yolk slightly diluted in a bit of water or milk to give it a golden and shiny finish.
  • Optional: Embed the whole hard-boiled eggs, with their shells, evenly along the ring, pressing lightly to secure them.
  • Allow the dough to rise for the third time, covering it with a damp cloth, for 2 hours in a warm place away from drafts until it doubles its original volume.
  • When 35 minutes remain before placing the crown in the oven, preheat the oven to 180 °C to ensure even cooking.

Bake

  • Before baking, brush the crown again with egg yolk slightly diluted with a bit of water to achieve a uniformly golden color.
  • Place two tablespoons of sugar on a small plate and moisten it with a few drops of water to achieve a sandy texture.
  • Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top of the cake, making sure to cover it well.
  • Bake at 180 ºC for approximately 15 minutes, until the cake has a golden and shiny color.
  • When we take it out of the oven, let the cake cool on a wire rack to prevent the base from becoming soggy.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • When preparing the brioche dough, keep in mind that it is a lightly enriched dough, so watch the moisture and adjust the fermentation time accordingly.
  • To ensure your sourdough starter is active, refresh it for two days before making the mona: feed it in the morning and evening to guarantee its strength.
  • When preparing the preferment, mix 100 grams of strong flour with 60 milliliters of water and 50 grams of well-activated sourdough starter. Let it rest for 12 hours at room temperature.
  • For the final dough, make sure to use 210 grams of well-rested preferment and incorporate an additional 250 grams of strong flour. Add the other ingredients to the dough slowly to ensure a uniform mixture.
  • Ensure the kitchen temperature is not below 20 degrees Celsius for optimal and even dough fermentation. If necessary, slightly warm the space or use a homemade fermenter.