Aigues-Morte fougasse (orange blossom brioche)

After 3 years in Lille, I'm back in the south of France since a few weeks, which made me want to reproduce some local specialties, here the fougasse of Aigues-Morte. It is a sweet brioche / fougasse, flavored with orange blossom, very soft with a crispy crust that forms during cooking.
 
 

 
 Pre time : 30 minutes (according to your food processor) + rest + 20 minutes cooking
 For a 40x30cm brioche :

 

The brioche dough :

 20g fresh yeast
 60g full cream
 480g flour T45
 125g sugar
 3 eggs
 65g orange blossom water
 10g salt
 125g butter
 85g water
 
 In the bottom of the food processor, mix the crumbled fresh yeast and the liquid cream.
 
 

 
 Cover with flour, then add orange blossom water, eggs, sugar and salt.
 
 

 
 Knead for about 15 minutes, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is homogeneous.
 
 

 
 Then add the cold butter cut into small pieces and knead again for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
 
 

 
 Finally, add the water little by little (in 4 or 5 times), always kneading until it is well incorporated.
 
 

 

 
 Let the dough rise at room temperature for 30 minutes, then degas it and place it in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 3 hours).
 
 

 

 
 The next day, degas the dough and roll it out on a 40x30cm baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
 
 

 

 

 
 Let it grow for 1h30 (adjust according to room temperature).
 
 

The cooking :

 30g orange blossom water 
 35g of butter 
 70g of sugar 
 Sugar
 
 Melt the butter, then add the orange blossom and sugar. 
 Gently spread 2/3 of the mixture with a brush on the fougasse dough, and sprinkle with sugar.
 
 

 
 Bake it in the preheated oven at 170°C for 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven, then spread the rest of the butter-sugar-orange blossom mixture and sprinkle with sugar again. Bake for another 5 minutes, then let cool before cutting and enjoying!