Subject: Brioche
From: Unicorn (unicorn@indenial.com)
Date: Thu Apr 11 2002 - 08:51:17 EDT
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F O O D F U N N Y
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Here's a "from the mouths of babes" food funny from reader Donna
Keller in Minnesota:
My mother, "Grams" to my 4 year old nephew, was making a cake in her
usual style, using only fresh ingredients, not a box mix. As kids do,
my nephew was constantly pestering my mother about what she was doing.
She tried to explain to him that she was making a cake from scratch
and what that meant. He wanted a piece so much he could hardly wait
until it was baked. Once done, cooled and frosted, he finally got his
cake. Grams asked him how he liked it and his comment was, "I don't
know Grams. I think it needs a little more scratch!"
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T O D A Y ' S R E C I P E
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Here is a simplified version of a classic French bread recipe.
Brioche is my first choice when making bread pudding and French toast,
and it is wonderful toasted with jam. Oh yeah, it's great plain, too.
Brioche
4 cups (1 L) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) instant yeast
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
8 Tbs (120 ml) cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 2 Tbs (30 ml) milk
1/3-1/2 cup (80-125 ml) water
Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in an electric food
processor and process with the steel blade for 5 seconds. Add the
butter and 3 eggs and process for 10 seconds. Add 1/2 cup (125 ml)
milk and 1/3 cup (80 ml) water while the machine is running and
process for 30 seconds. The dough should be very sticky - if it is
not, add more water. Grease a large bowl and scoop the dough into it.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 2 to 3 hours, until doubled in
volume. Punch the dough down and, using just enough flour to enable
you to handle the dough, shape it into 2 loaves. Place each loaf in a
buttered loaf pan (8x4 inches (20x10 cm) or 9x5 inches (23x12 cm)).
Cover and let rise for 1 hour. Mix the egg yolk with the remaining
milk and brush on the tops of the loaves. Bake in a preheated 400F
(200C) oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. When done, the
loaf should fall out of the pan easily and the bottom should sound
hollow when thumped. Remove from the loaf pans and cool on wire
racks. Makes 2 loaves.
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