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Brioche


foodie3

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It will also depend on how long you hold it at room temperature before you refrigerate it (and this ties into the amount of yeast in the dough - the longer you leave it, the more the yeast will develop and the more flour it will autolise.)

What does autolise mean?

Edited by Almondmeal (log)
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Autolyse: it's a baking term referring to the mixing of flour & water, then a resting period before the kneading takes place, or a "hydrated rest". If you're a student of pastry and bread, it should definitely be part of your vocabulary. See a brief description for the layperson: http://www.slashfood.com/2008/08/21/baking-terms-defined-autolyse/ You should also seek out the work of Raymond Calvel, the French baking expert par excellence, who coined the term.

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Will it make the dough last longer if I freeze them, then defrost on the day I need to shape them? Or is that going to ruin the whole dough like killing the yeast ?

Freezing does not kill yeast. You can freeze brioche after the initial rise, but before shaping. Punch it down, divide into appropriate portions (and preshape, if you're planning to make rounds, tetes, or small shapes), then freeze in an airtight container/baggie (spray w/oil to facilitate removal). Defrost at room temp for a couple of hours, shape, then rise as usual.

A few resources: Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice has three brioche variations & good beginner's info about brioche on pp 123-130. And Zoe Francois' Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day has a recipe for a brioche dough that keeps for up to 5 days (plus some freezing instructions).

Other things to consider: beware the butter in the brioche absorbing "off" flavors from other items stored in the fridge. Be sure it is well-wrapped & airtight, and don't stick it next to the chopped onions, LOL.

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Wow! I learn so much, the reason why I asked was because at my previous work we used to keep the brioche dough in the fridge for a week, not even frozen or pre shaped before frosting. , And we use the dough to roll up in to donut balls, proof them then fry them. However at my current work, I was told to never use a brioche dough that has been in the fridge for more than 24 hour! I am so confused. I never came to the term autolyse before and it's definitely the word I'll be using more often instead of a long descriptive sentence to describe the process.

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If you're not already, you should definitely be keeping your instant dry yeast in the freezer for longer life span!

(slightly off topic, sorry!)

What about fresh yeast? Would freezing kill fresh yeast then? I was told that if fresh yeast is store under the temperature of negative 26 , yeast will die.

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Couldn't tell you - whenever I've got it, it never lasts longer than 3-4 days (I use it up) - I've never done a longevity test with it. Theoretically, though, about a month if I recall correctly.

Elizabeth Campbell, baking 10,000 feet up at 1° South latitude.

My eG Food Blog (2011)My eG Foodblog (2012)

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Regarding the week old brioche: it was fried, for Pete's sake! The direct heat of frying will cause it to puff, even if its past its prime as a baking dough. You can't compare dough handling for a fried pastry to the needs/method used for baked dough. Frying covers a multitude of sins.

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Fresh yeast is kept in the fridge, not the freezer.

How long will fresh yeast last in the fridge in a tupperware container?

Dave, it depends how fresh it is when you buy/get it. I have kept fresh yeast in the fridge even for 3-4 weeks, when I bought a bigger chunk that I could not use up immediately. My grandma also kept hers in the fridge for weeks, and whenever she'd get a moldy spot, she'd just cut that off together with any dry edges, then use as normal.

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