Orange Blossom Navettes

📝 Ingredients

• 150 g plain flour
• 50 g caster sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder (2 g)
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 unwaxed lemon (for the zest)
• 1 egg (about 50 g)
• 30 g olive oil (2 tbsp + 1 tsp)
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water (30 ml)
• 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk (for glazing)

🍴 Utensils

• Mixing bowl
• Bowl and fork
• Fine grater
• Baking tray and baking paper
• Small pointed knife
• Pastry brush

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (170 °C fan) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Wash the lemon in hot water, then finely grate the zest, avoiding the white pith, which is bitter.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, pinch of salt and lemon zest. Make a well in the centre: you'll pour the liquids in here and work them in gradually, without forming lumps.
3. Beat the egg with a fork in a small bowl with the olive oil and orange blossom water. Pour into the well and mix with a spoon, drawing the flour into the centre, until the dough comes together in large clumps.
4. Bring the dough together with your hands and knead for 1 to 2 minutes, just until smooth and no longer sticky. If it crumbles, add a few drops of water; if it's sticky, add a pinch of flour. Don't work it any further.
5. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 25 g each). Roll each one between your palms into an 8 cm log with slightly tapered ends, like a little boat, then place them on the tray 3 cm apart.
6. Using the tip of a small knife, slit each navette lengthways 5 mm deep, leaving 1 cm intact at each end. Gently open up the slit with your fingertip so it doesn't close up during baking.
7. Brush the tops of the navettes with milk so they colour nicely. Bake on the middle shelf for 18 to 20 minutes, until pale golden on top, with the edges and undersides well browned.
8. Leave to cool completely on the tray, about 15 minutes: still slightly soft when they come out of the oven, the navettes harden as they cool. Then store them in an airtight tin, where they stay crunchy for up to 2 weeks.