SamBucky Romance Asks

Ooh, "💕 Who Fell First"! Great option, Leslie 😆 It was so good, I accidentally 😂 wrote enough to post on AO3, so it's on there too 😂 I hope you enjoy this little fic! 🥰

Link to AO3 version!

Plum Jam

Sam hadn't meant to bump into the man when he was at the grocery store.

Honestly, Sam's entire day had been a bit of a mess.

Sam had talked to Steve about Riley earlier that day. And it wasn't that Sam didn't like thinking about Riley. Sam loved to remember the ridiculous dad jokes Riley loved to tell; he loved how Riley would find a way to tangle himself in Sam's personal space whenever he had the opportunity; Sam loved how Riley's arm always rested on his chest when they slept like a comforting weight.

But thinking back to that moment.

Back to the fall.

Sam always forgot how much pain that dredged up in him. How it could feel as if that guilt and heartbreak were fresh again, like a reopened wound.

Sam had asked to go home early when he realized how unfocused he was at the VA after that. He had gone home and realized he had no food, and without really thinking about how he could have just ordered in, decided to go to the grocery store.

And now, Sam was bumping into random strangers.

"Sorry," said Sam, frazzled as he noticed and picked up the plum jam on the ground that had thankfully not broken during the fall, "I'm all over the place. Here."

Sam extended the plum jam to the man.

The man wore mostly leather, with a baseball cap on greasy, long hair that needed a brush and a mask Sam assumed had to be heavy duty - maybe the man had a cold?

The man didn't look down at the jam.

No.

He stared at Sam with piercing blue eyes that pinned Sam where he stood. He stared at Sam as if Sam were the first person he had seen after a long coma. He started at Sam as if Sam had just moved mountains, had just performed a miracle.

He stared at Sam like Sam was the hottest man he'd ever seen in his life.

Sam's face heated at that thought, because, no, not everyone Sam bumped into at the grocery store thought Sam was hot. Sam wasn't going to feed into that idea.

"I'll... put it back on the shelf," said Sam, about to place the jam back before the man's hand instantly reached for the jam.

His hand wrapped around both Sam's fingers and the jam.

"Bucky!" blurted the man, still holding the jar of jam with Sam.

I am not sure why the Church reform of 1970 stated tha Epiphany could be celebrated on the first Sunday of January rather than its traditional date on the sixth of the month; but I’m embracing it and celebrating both (and often more), baking and eating King’s Cakes and Crowns throughout January! This year it was all the better since Jules and I could eat our Galette des Rois before she returned home to Dijon yesterday. I am thus alone today, but I couldn’t help baking this gorgeous Plum Kings’ Crown! It is, after all tradition, eh?

Ingredients (makes 1 brioche):

4 cups strong white flour

1/3 cup caster sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 teaspoons salt

4 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

1 cup Ginger-Plum Jam

a fève*

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ tablespoon milk

a few fresh cranberries, rinsed

The day before, combine strong white flour, caster sugar, yeast and salt (they shouldn’t touch at this stage) in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment. Turn on low speed until well-combined.

Turn on medium speed and add the eggs and milk, and mix 4 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite sticky at this stage. Gradually add butter, a few chunks at a time until fully incorporated. When all the butter is incorporated, increase speed to high and mix, 4 to 6 minutes, until dough is soft, shiny and slaps the sides of the bowl.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form a ball. Pop the dough ball in a lightly oiled large bowl and cover with cling film. Let rise at room temperature for an hour.

Again, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly. Shape into a ball, and return dough to the lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, and prove once more a couple of hours or until the dough has tripled in size. Place the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. The dough will continue proving, which will give the brioche a light and airy texture.

In the morning, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, and allow the dough to come back to room temperature, for 1 hour.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

Remove cling film and turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal portions. Roll two of the portions into large rectangles onto a lightly floured surface.

Reserve a heaped tablespoon Ginger-Plum Jam. 

Spread half of the Ginger-Plum Jam onto the first dough rectangle, leaving at least an inch on the outward edge, and roll it tightly like you would a Swiss roll, seal the seam, and gently roll into a long “sausage”. Set aside.

Spread remaining  Ginger-Plum Jam onto the second dough rectangle, leaving at least an inch on the outward edge. Again, roll gently but tightly.

Roll the plain portion into a long “sausage” the same length as the others. Hide the fève* in it!

Place them all vertically on the work surface, pinching the end of all of them firmly together. Plait, and shape into a crown. Place on prepared baking tray. Leave to prove for 30 minutes to one hour in a warm, draught-free room.

Whisk the egg and milk together.

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Once the brioche has risen, brush thoroughly with egg wash. Decorate on top with cranberries, gently pressing them in. Bake at 190°C/375°F  for 35 minutes, until a nice golden brown colour.

Meanwhile, heat reserved Plum Jam in a small saucepan, with a tablespoonful of water. Bring to a simmer until mixture becomes syrup-y. Remove from the heat.

Remove Plum Kings’ Crown from the oven, and immediately brush all over with the Plum syrup, to glaze. Transfer to serving plate and let cool for a bit before serving and finding out who’ll be crowned Queen or King!