Brioche De La Riviera Recipes

BRIOCHE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour sugar and salt. Make a well in center of the bowl and mix in the eggs and yeast mixture. Beat well until the dough has pulled together, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.
• Flatten the dough and spread it with one third of the butter. Knead this well. Repeat this twice to incorporate the remaining butter. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes between additions of butter. This process may take 20 minutes or so. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. It needs time to chill in order to become more workable.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, form into loaves and place into prepared pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, about 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans (see Cook's Note to make rolls). Beat the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water to make a glaze.
• Brush the loaves or rolls with the egg wash. Bake in preheated oven until a deep golden brown. Start checking the loaves for doneness after 25 minutes, and rolls at 10 minutes. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool completely.

BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side and sugar to the other. Pour in the yeast to the side with the sugar. Mix each side into the flour with your hands, then mix it all together with the dough hook.
• Heat the milk until warm to the touch, but not hot. Mix into the flour mix until combined. With the dough hook on medium, gradually add the eggs and mix for 10 mins.
• Gradually add the softened butter, one or two cubes at a time, until combined. This will take 5-8 mins. Scrape down the sides, the dough will be very soft.
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hr 30 mins-2 hrs until doubled in size and well-risen. Once risen, put in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Portion the dough into seven equal pieces (the easiest way to do this accurately is to weigh it). Lightly dust a work surface with flour, take a piece of dough and pull each corner into the middle to form a circular shape. With a bit of pressure, push down and roll into ball. Repeat with the six remaining pieces.
• Put the balls into the tin, four on one side and three in the gaps on the other side. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 30-35 mins until almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly brush the dough with the egg wash and bake for 30-35 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool completely.

BRIOCHE DE LA RIVIERA

Steps:

• Make the levain: In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, combine apple and water. Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the apple mixture with 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces) high-gluten flour. Beat on medium-low until a stiff dough forms, about 3 minutes.
• Place levain into a large clean container. Cover tightly, and let rise in a very warm place for at least 24 and up to 48 hours. (The temperature should be 79 degrees. A good place would be near, but not on, a stove or heating source -- do not rise in an oven.) The dough should rise until tripled in bulk and then it will, most likely, fall.
• Remove 150 grams (5.4 ounces) of levain from the center of the risen dough, and discard the remaining levain. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine levain with 150 grams (5.4 ounces) high-gluten flour and 1/3 cup warm water until a uniform dough is formed. Transfer to a work surface, and knead briefly. Shape into a ball, return to the mixer bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until tripled in size, about 4 hours. Repeat this process twice. The levain is now ready to use. Be sure to always take the levain from the center of the levain because the natural yeasts are more concentrated there.
• Make the sponge: In a glass measuring cup, combine sugar and scant 1 cup water. Stir to dissolve sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine high-gluten flour, sugar mixture, and prepared natural levain. Starting on low speed, beat until flour is incorporated. Increase speed to medium, and beat until dough is smooth, about 6 minutes start to finish.
• Add cold butter a bit at a time, while beating on low speed for about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium, and beat until smooth, 6 to 8 minutes more. Scrape down bowl as necessary. If necessary, switch to paddle attachment briefly to help incorporate butter. Add egg yolks, and beat on low until incorporated. Increase speed to medium, and continue beating until dough is shiny, elastic, and comes away from sides of bowl. (It will make a slapping sound when the speed is increased) Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let stand in a very warm place for 12 hours. (The temperature should be 79 degrees. A good place would be near, but not on, a stove or heating source -- do not rise in an oven.) The dough should triple in bulk.
• Make the dough: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and honey until smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside. In a liquid measuring cup, combine 80 ml (scant 1/2 cup) water, the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and lemon and orange oils. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the high-gluten flour over the risen sponge. Beat on low until all the flour is incorporated, about 3 minutes.
• With machine running on medium-low speed, gradually add the liquid mixture; if the dough begins to separate, stop adding the liquid and briefly increase speed to medium high until dough just comes back together. Reduce speed, and continue adding liquid. It should take about 4 minutes to add all of the liquid. Increase speed to medium high, and beat until dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 5 minutes more.
• With machine running on medium speed, add the creamed honey mixture all at once. Beat until incorporated, about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add egg yolks, and beat on medium low until incorporated and dough is shiny and elastic, about 4 minutes. Add raisins and orange peel, and beat until just incorporated, about 2 minutes more.
• Lightly oil work surface. Turn dough out onto surface, and cut into six 190-gram (6.8-ounce) pieces and four 250-gram (9-ounce) pieces. Work each piece of dough into a ball. Place smaller pieces into 3 1/2-inch-baking papers and large pieces in 4 1/2-inch-baking papers. Place filled papers onto baking sheets. Place each baking sheet into a large plastic bag, and seal. Set aside in a very warm place until tripled in volume, 6 to 8 hours. (The temperature should be 79 degrees. A good place would be near, but not on, a stove or heating source -- do not rise in an oven.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Make the topping: In the bowl of a food processor, combine almonds, flour, and confectioners' sugar. Process until fine. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add grapeseed oil and egg whites. Stir to combine. The glaze should be thick and almost pastelike.
• Gently spoon about 2 tablespoons glaze over the top of each risen brioche to cover. Sprinkle with whole almonds (about 6 per loaf). Sprinkle heavily with pearl sugar. Bake until golden brown and set, 25 to 30 minutes for the small, 30 to 35 minutes for the large.