Brioche

Brioche Dough

Start the Day Before

Prepare dough a day ahead and refrigerate overnight before shaping and baking.

This recipe uses instant (quick-rise) yeast and medium size eggs.

To use 2 large eggs, beat the second one and use only half of it in the dough mixture.

Makes enough dough for 10 Apple Brioche Pastries (see below) or one 8 x 4" brioche loaf.

• 1-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp quick-rise instant dry yeast
• 8 Tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 5 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar
• 2 medium eggs

Make a sponge in stand mixer bowl:

Combine 3/4 cup of the bread flour with 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast in a stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment.

Add 2 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed and 5 Tbsp milk.

Mix on low speed until well combined with no butter lumps, 1 to 2 minutes.

Cover surface of dough loosely with plastic wrap.

Let stand 30 minutes (fermentation should begin but sponge won't expand noticeably).

In another bowl, whisk to combine:

3/4 cup bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp instant dry yeast, 1 Tbsp sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk 2 medium OR 1-1/2 large eggs.

Add this flour mixture and the eggs to the sponge after the 30 minutes is up.

Mix on low speed with paddle attachment until combined, about 1 minute.

Replace paddle with the dough hook:

Mix the dough on low speed with dough hook for 5 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 8 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the dough hook once or twice.

Add the remaining sugar, 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp, and mix to blend.

Now add 6 Tbsp cold cubed butter, two tablespoons at a time, mixing after each addition.

Dough should look soft and shiny.

Wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

This dough can be refrigerated 2 days or frozen for 2 weeks before using in a recipe.

Frozen dough should be thawed overnight in the fridge before use.

Apple Brioche Pastries 

Like an apple danish: caramalized apples in pastry cream on a sweet dough.

This recipe is based on Caramelized Apple Brioche from Food & Drink Holiday 2015 magazine, with a different Vanilla Pastry Cream that uses vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean.

Brioche Dough: see above.

Pastry Cream: 

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup corn starch
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup whole milk (homogenized)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan.

In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together milk and egg yolks.

Whisk milk mixture into sugar mixture, add butter, bring to a boil over medium heat.

Boil 1 minute, still whisking.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla

Strain pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of cream to prevent skin from forming.

Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Just before using, whisk until smooth.

Carmelized Apples

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 4 large Royal Gala apples, peeled and cored

Cut the apples into 1/4 inch thick slices. Set aside.

In a large frying pa over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp butter.

Add 1/4 cup sugar and half the apple slices.

Toss while cooking, about 5 minutes, until apples are tender and caramelized but still hold their shape.

Transfer cooked apple slices to a bowl and repeat with remaining butter, sugar and apple.

Cool completely.

Assembly: Day of Baking

• 1 recipe Brioche (see above)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tsp water
• 1/2 cup apple jelly OR currant jelly OR apricot jam
• icing sugar for dusting

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp sugar with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

On a floured surface, roll brioche dough to a 10 x 10 inch square.

Brush surface of dough lightly with beaten egg.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly on top.

Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut ten 1-inch-wide strips.

Place hands on either end of one strip and roll in opposite directions to twist tightly, with cinnamon sugar inside.

Spiral the twist inward creating a circular shape. Tuck end under.

Place the circle of dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Twist and shape remaining pieces of dough, placing spirals at least an inch apart on the sheet.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk chilled pastry cream until smooth.

Place a round tablespoon of pastry cream in centre of each brioche spiral.

Take one slice of caramelized apple and roll with your hands until tight to form a core.

Take another slice and roll it around the first slice. Continue with 3 or 4 more slices, to form a rose.

Place the apple rose on top of the pastry cream on each spiral.

Bake brioche spirals in preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Put jelly in a small pot, heat on medium until simmering, continue to simmer 1-2 minutes.

Brush hot jelly on the apples to coat, then sift icing sugar over edges.

Brioche Bubble Buns

• 1 recipe brioche dough
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, set aside.

Grease and flour 10 cups of a standard muffin tin.

On lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 10 pieces.

Place in the fridge and work with 1 portion of dough at a time.

Divide each piece into 3 small pieces, forming each into a small ball.

Mist the balls lightly with water (from a spray bottle).

Coat well with cinnamon brown sugar.

Place 3 rounds of dough into each muffin cup.

Cover muffin tin loosely with plastic wrap.

Set aside in a warm place about 1-1/2 hours utnil dough rises and doubles in bulk.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the buns until golden, 20-25 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes, remove from tins while still warm.

Serve while warm, or at room temperature.

To reheat, place in preheated 200 degrees F. oven about 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 10 buns.