Brioche has a dense, slightly sweet taste that makes it a great base for bread pudding, which I tend to make all the time. It seems I can never find brioche when I need it for a recipe, but luckily it's not hard to make from scratch. If brioche isn't readily available in your local grocery store, it's worth the effort to make your own.
I researched a couple of different baking methods and ended up with the recipe below - it makes one loaf plus enough for 12 individual brioches baked in a muffin tin (or two loaves). Of course, you could easily halve the recipe if you don't need this much on your hands!
Homemade Brioche
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp active dry yeast, or 2 packets
5 oz (10 tbsp) butter at room temperature
2/3 cup warm milk
4 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk and a dash sugar for glaze
Transfer to a greased bowl, then cover dough and leave it in a warm place until it doubles in size, about two hours (or, as I did, hold it on your lap during the car ride to Okoboji. I do not particularly recommend this method). Punch down dough and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, remove the dough and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes on a floured countertop. Divide dough in half.
Divide the first half into four balls and arrange in a greased loaf pan. Divide the second half into twelve balls placed into a greased muffin tin. Cover both pans and let rise in a warm place for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Use a kitchen scissors to make small cuts in the top of each ball, then brush the brioches with beaten egg yolk mixed with a little sugar.
Bake smaller brioches for 15-20 minutes and loaf for 30-35 minutes.
In the morning, remove the dough and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes on a floured countertop. Divide dough in half.
Divide the first half into four balls and arrange in a greased loaf pan. Divide the second half into twelve balls placed into a greased muffin tin. Cover both pans and let rise in a warm place for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Use a kitchen scissors to make small cuts in the top of each ball, then brush the brioches with beaten egg yolk mixed with a little sugar.
Bake smaller brioches for 15-20 minutes and loaf for 30-35 minutes.
Remove all from baking pans and allow to cool on a rack.
Yummy right out of the oven! I love it when you come home!!!
ReplyDelete