Pony
Baking and Desserts • European
Description
This recipe is taken from a book on French regional cuisine by John Smith and Michael Johnson. In the past, in the provinces, when baking homemade bread, it was common to leave a handful (in the local dialect, pougna or pugna) of dough and add sweet ingredients to prepare a dessert. Some believe that this handful is where the name 'pony' originated. This recipe comes from Roman-sur-Isère, but it is known far beyond the borders of Dauphiné. Nowadays, bread is no longer baked at home, but pony is still made from yeast dough.
Ingredients
- Wheat Flour 20 oz
- Dry yeast 0 oz
- Orange Blossom Water 1½ spoons
- Chicken Egg 6 pieces
- Butter 10 oz
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable Oil to taste
- Ground Black Pepper to taste
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
Dissolve the yeast in 70–80 ml of warm salted water with 20 g of sugar. Add 100 g of flour. Cover the mixture with a damp cloth and let it rest overnight.
Step 2
In a ceramic bowl, mix the remaining flour and sugar, creating a well in the center. Gradually pour in the orange blossom water, the eggs, and then the sourdough starter from yesterday. Knead the dough well until it rises. Add the butter.
Step 3
Shape the dough into a ball, cover the bowl with a damp cloth, and let it rise for 2 hours. With floured hands, punch down the dough. Shape it into a ball again and allow it to rise in the bowl, covered with a damp cloth, for another 4-5 hours.
Step 4
Separate a quarter of the dough, shape it into a ring, and place it on a baking sheet lightly greased with vegetable oil, leaving space for a second ring.
Step 5
Cover the remaining dough with a damp cloth again, and let the dough rings rise for 20–30 minutes.
Step 6
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 410°F. When the rings are ready, use a sharp knife dipped in cold water to make slashes on the surface. Place in the oven for 30 minutes (check for doneness with the tip of the knife; it should come out dry). Once removed from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack.
Step 7
Also, prepare two more rings from the remaining dough.
Step 8
Cool it down, and remember that ponch is good not only for dessert but also for breakfast.
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