Adventures in Brioche

[janeer]

Good heavens, that looks good. And rich.

[LindaK]

There actually wasn't that much cheese--less than 4 oz for the recipe. The strong flavor of the Roquefort, though, made it seem like much more.

edited to add: even if you never make this particular recipe, the trick of making "stuffed" brioche here with the layer of flattened brioche balls is nice to remember, you could use it over any topping, savory or sweet.

[Bojana]

I cannot get out of my head the idea of a totally decadent truffle brioche to pair with seared foie gras.

On the freezing note, I assume the dough would freeze well but could anyone please confirm?

[jmacnaughtan]

I cannot get out of my head the idea of a totally decadent truffle brioche to pair with seared foie gras.

On the freezing note, I assume the dough would freeze well but could anyone please confirm?

Freezing can be hit or miss- the last time I used frozen dough I split it in half before freezing, there was practically no rise in the frozen batch compared to the fresh.

Professionals generally use improvers if they're going to freeze the dough. It takes the risk out of it.

[LindaK]

A couple of my recipes note that the dough can be frozen up to a week. When I've tried it, it's worked, thought the rise was not quite as good.

The truffle idea sounds brilliant. I wonder how the flavor holds up during baking.

[Bojana]

The truffle idea is not mine but agree it is brilliant. Will try in 2 weeks and report back

http://www.lamag.com/lafood/recipes/2011/10/26/truffle-brioche-with-nori-goat-butter

[Lisa Shock]

Has anyone ever lined their pan with med-fine pearl sugar? I am thinking about making a brioche that I want to turn out of a mold and would like some decoration on it. I was wondering if the pearl sugar would survive as white bits, or would caramelize? I am thinking of spraying the pan then tossing some pearl sugar in, and then adding the dough.

[janeer]

Has anyone ever lined their pan with med-fine pearl sugar? I am thinking about making a brioche that I want to turn out of a mold and would like some decoration on it. I was wondering if the pearl sugar would survive as white bits, or would caramelize? I am thinking of spraying the pan then tossing some pearl sugar in, and then adding the dough.

Haven't done it, but would think it might caramelize.

[Lisa Shock]

Yeah, that's what I am thinking. I'll probably get around to baking something tomorrow night and see.

[Bojana]

I wish you could smell my kitchen! Truffle brioche, mmmm... I forgot to brush it with eggwash, but other than the non glossy looks, it was divine!

[LindaK]

Bojana, those look amazing. That idea is a keeper.

I imagine you could also make this as a loaf so the brioche could be cut into slices, if you wanted to serve it with foie or something else. But this shape is so much fun.

[Bojana]

Linda, this was my test batch, I will make them again in 2 weeks to serve with foie

More precisely, Seared Foie Gras atop Truffle Brioche with Rhubarb jam, Rhubarb foal and Pickled Red Fruit. But that is a whole other discussion.

I used Peter Reinhart's Rich man brioche recipe, which is decadently buttery, 50:50 butter flour ratio. It felt like biting into a croissant.

[Norm Matthews]

My son said that he and his fiance wanted to make dinner for me today and I was not allowed in the kitchen. Too late. I already had a batch of brioche dough rising. It's finished now and the kitchen is clear for the kids. I don't know what they plan but at least there will be some bread to go with it.

URL=http://s262.photobucket.com/user/matthewsno/media/DSCN1063_zpsc8557a52.jpg.html]

[ElsieD]

They look lovely.

[Starkman]

Yuu-um!

[Norm Matthews]

Thanks for the comments and the likes.

[lindag]

Norm,

Just Gorgeous!!!

I've never made brioche. Can you point us to the recipe you used?

[Norm Matthews]

If these directions need further explanation, just ask. I hope you can use the original list of ingredients along with the directions I provided.

The recipe I used is based on one of the two brioche recipes from the 1969 Farm Journal Homemade Bread book edited by Nell B. Nichols except I used a cup of sourdough starter and one package of rapid rise yeast instead of two packages of yeast and I used about half the amount of zest and used lime zest instead of lemon zest. I prefer just a hint of the zest flavor. I put the milk, butter salt and sugar in a saucepan and heated until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. When cooled to lukewarm, add beaten eggs and 1 cup of room temperature sourdough starter to mixer bowl. When using the sourdough starter do not add the 1/4 C. water. Add 1 package of yeast to 1 cup of flour ( I used King Arthur AP flour) and mix into the mixer bowl with wire whisk until foamy. Switch to dough hook and mix on speed 2, adding enough flour-1 cup at a time- until dough just barely stops sticking to bottom of bowl. Turn out and knead with additional flour if needed until smooth and elastic. Put in oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. The book says to put 2-inch balls into muffin tins and top with a smaller ball rolled into a tear-drop shape with the pointed end down into a depression made with your finger- this makes about 2 dozen rolls- but this time I shaped it into 8 mini loaves. Cover, brushed with cooled melted butter, let rise until doubled The directions says to bake @ 425º for ten minutes. Since I used bigger loaves, I put a digital thermometer probe into one of the loaves as soon as the crust has set and remove from oven at 190º. It took these larger loaves around 25 minutes to bake until done.

.

BRIOCHE

1 C. milk

1/2C. butter or margarine

1 tsp. salt

1/2C. sugar

2 pkg. active dry yeast

1/4 C. warm water (110•to 115•)

4 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

5 C. sifted all-purpose flour (about)

melted butter for brushing on tops.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Norm Matthews (log)

[HungryC]

I love brioche...especially for making bostock. It's the single best use of brioche, IMHO.

[mignardise]

Looking for the best Brioche recipe. Thank you!

[JeanneCake]

I love the holiday hallejuah brioche in the Cake Bible; others I've tried are a little "heavy" for my taste, but that one is light and delicious.  I was trying for a chocolate brioche bread pudding years ago and wasn't impressed with the Charlie Trotter or Sherry Yard recipes - they were good, but not what I was looking for.

[TylerK]

My favourite by far is in Baking with Julia.  The recipe is posted here.  I up the butter flavour by using cultured butter, and prefer making the sponge with a sourdough starter.  Replacing the all-purpose flour with bread flour, reducing the sugar to 1/4 cup and increasing the salt makes the best burger buns I've ever had.  

[cakewalk]

IMO, Nancy Silverton's recipe. Wonderful clip here, with Julia Child:

 

There are other threads about brioche on eGullet, I suggest doing a search.

[Matthew Kirshner]

Honestly it really depends on what you are doing with the brioche.  If you are just making loafs or rolls, Ciril Hitz has a really great formula. If you want to deep fry for donuts, i suggest  Michel Suas formula with a sponge.