Name: Fougasse
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 4 1/2 hr
Yield: Makes 2 loaves
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 cup warm water (105–115°F); 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package); 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt; 1 teaspoon anise seeds, lightly crushed; 2/3 cup water; 2 teaspoons orange-flower water (preferably French); 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest; 1/3 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil (preferably French) plus 1 tablespoon for brushing; 3 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading; 1 1/2 teaspoons flaky or coarse sea salt; a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

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FougasseRomulo Yanes

If you want dramatic impact on your holiday table, look no further. These leaf-shaped breads (traditionally one of the 13 desserts of a Provençal Christmas Eve) are large and sculptural, with a heady fragrance of orange and anise.

Cooks' notes:

Fougasses are best eaten the day they're made.

Recipe notes

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