I’ve covered brioche in the past, here and here, and was pretty well pleased with the results, but then I scored this deal… TWO boxes of cookery books an’ stuff for $10! – who could resist?
One of my bargain books was the 1980 edition of the Cuisinart food processor cookbook by Abby Mandel, and this recipe caught my eye; first, because I do like a bit of brioche every now and again, and second (and mebbe more importantly), because it makes just one loaf – which is really all we
need around about here at one time – even if I’m planning on turning that loaf into breakfast for dinner by way of French toast.
Yum.
Note: as with the other recipes, you should plan on two days – or at least overnight – to make this brioche, but trust me, the wait is worth it.
INGREDIENTS
Bread:
•2-1/4 tsp (1 pkg) dry yeast
•1/2 cup warm (110º) water
•2 tsp sugar
•2-1/4 cup flour
•1-1/2 tsp salt
•1 stick (8 tbsp) butter, cut into 8 pieces and frozen
•2 large eggs
•Olive Oil
•Butter
Glaze:
•1 large egg
•1/2 tsp salt
To begin, stir the yeast and the sugar into a bowl with the warm water and let rest for 10 or 15 minutes, until nice and foamy.
Combine the flour, salt, one teaspoon of the sugar and the butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the foamy yeast in two batches, pulsing to mix after each.
Add the eggs and blend thoroughly.
Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and add the dough from the food processor – turning so that all sides of the dough are coated with oil.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot for two hours or so, until the dough has doubled in size.
Punch the dough down, turn, re-cover, and stash in the fridge for four hours or (better) overnight.
Remove the dough from the fridge, shape into a loaf and place in a well buttered nine or ten inch loaf pan.
Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot until doubled again in size – 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
Whisk the egg and salt together in a bowl and set aside as you heat your oven to 400º.
Brush the risen loaf with the egg and salt glaze, then bake at 400º for 15 minutes.
Reduce the oven temp to 350º and bake for another 25 minutes, until the brioche is nicely browned.
Remove from the oven and let rest for ten minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Oh, and that French toast?
Technically, that’s Rich’s specialty, and he did a truly fine job – adding a bit of freshly grated orange zest to the batter and cooking the slices to perfection – but if you need a bit of guidance, here’s a pretty decent recipe to start you off.
Ermmm, the maple roasted bacon is pretty darned stellar, too.