Brioche

Here is the result of August’s Fresh From The Oven baking challenge: Brioche.

As the recipe in The River Cottage Bread Guide says it is a very wet dough. It’s a real ‘stir it with a wooden spoon’ job rather than ‘knead it on the worktop.’

Eventually with the addition of a good handful of flour (or two) I managed to shape it ready for its overnight rest in the fridge.

That firmed it up, good and proper, so I divided into 2 loaves. I baked one in a 1lb tin and one as a ‘stubby cylinder’ as described in the books shaping instructions.

They rose beautifully and made cracking shiny topped, egg washed, light, even textured loaves.

One loaf got briskly eaten, mainly by George, with Nutella and hot chocolate.

French kid style.

The 2nd loaf was used to make a good rich bread and butter pudding a few days later.

Thanks to Chele from Chocolate Teapot for picking this months very well received recipe.

N.B. I wrote this post on my phone whilst in a log cabin in North Wales using the WordPress iPhone app.

‘Aint technology brilliant?

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Details of the recipe from River Cottage Handbook No. 3 – Bread

Brioche
400g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
5g powdered dried yeast
10g fine sea salt
90ml warm milk
2 tbsp caster sugar
100g butter, softened
4 medium free range eggs, beaten
To Glaze
1 medium free range egg
2 tbsp milk

to knead by hand: mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, and bring it all together to form a dough. Knead for about 10 mins, until smooth and shiny.

Or, to use a food mixer: fit the dough hook and add all the dough ingredients to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined, and leave to knead for about 10 mins, until smooth and shiny.

Shape the dough into a round, place in a bowl and cover tightly. Leave in the fridge overnight.

The next day, divide the dough in two and form into the shape of your choice. Lightly flour the loaves, lay them on a wooden board or linen cloth and cover with a plastic bag. Leave them somewhere nice and warm to prove until almost doubled in size; this could take 3 or 4 hours, as the dough is cold.

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. For the glaze, beat the egg and milk together. Transfer the risen loaves to a baking tray and brush all over with the glaze. Bake for about 10 mins, then lower the oven setting to 180C/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 30 mins or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes 2 small loaves
River Cottage Handbook No.3 – Bread