RCP: Bogus Brioche

I find real brioche a chore - it can take 24 hours or more, and uses an obscene amount of butter. This is a nice recipe from Richard Bertinet's book Dough, and whilst it really isn't super buttery like brioche, it does produce a nice sweet (but not overly sweet) dough that has lots of applications. We sometimes have it plain with vegemite or jam, we've deepfried it and rolled it in sugar to make doughnuts, and today I wrapped it around chocolate (I am so loving those chocolate sticks) for the boys for afternoon tea. I've also used it to make sticky caramel buns, and I think it might work well for danishes.

chocbread.jpg

250g (1 cup) full fat milk (I use UHT - the long-life milk kept a room temperature)
10g (1 sachet) dry yeast
500g (17.5oz) bread flour
60g (2oz) unsalted butter
40g caster (1.5oz) (superfine) sugar
10g (0.35oz) salt
2 large eggs

Whisk together flour and yeast in large mixing bowl. Rub in butter. Whisk in sugar and salt.

If using fresh milk, heat it very gently to body temperature. I use UHT, so I just open the container and use it unrefrigerated.

Mix the milk and eggs into the flour mix, mix in the bowl with a spatula to start, then get your clean hand in and squish the dough all together. It will be quite sticky. Scrape your hand off, and leave it for about 10 minutes (during which time it will become easier to handle).

Lightly spray a little oil on your bench, and turn out the dough. Knead it for about 5 minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary. You want to keep it quite light, though. Oil the mixing bowl, and then put the smooth kneaded dough back in, and allow to rise. Come back in about 1 hour, or when the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).

Tip the risen dough onto your re-oiled bench, knock it back, and then play with it ! Shape it as you wish, allow it to rise a second time (say half an hour or so), then give it an eggwash, and bake it in the oven until brown (start checking at about the 10 minute mark).

To make the chocolate buns, I used 75g (2.5oz) pieces of dough and flattened them out, then lay a chocolate stick in the middle, and wrapped the dough around them.

What time is afternoon tea? I'll be there tomorrow!

Celia, you are right in that brioche can be a chore. Fortunately most of that chore is waiting rather than working but there really is no substitute for the real thing.

Now, this will sound really picky and I'm sorry for that, but it looks like what you have is a recipe for challa rather than brioche. They are both good breads but I find that challa lacks the superior tenderness and flavor that brioche delivers. Though, I find that challa makes a better French toast as it gets real custard-like when cooked.

That said, if I haven't offended you, those chocolate buns look wonderful. Save me a place at the table too, please!

rwj

C'mon Cowboy, after all the times you've cursed at me, you think something like that could insult me ?

I have no idea what a challah recipe involves, though. This was listed as a "sweet dough", and that's what I use it for. You're right, it's not really a substitute for brioche in that it's no where near as buttery or tender, but then again we can't eat real brioche all the time (for fear of expiring). And this does only take a couple of hours to make.

Robert, there is a nice variant of this recipe your son might like. You take 30g (1oz) pieces of the dough, roll them into tight balls and rise them for about 45 minutes until they double in size. Then you deep fry them and toss them in caster (superfine) sugar. You can also poke a hole in them and pipe jam or creme patissiere in before serving (we usually just have them plain). The recipe refers to these as "doughnuts".

Cynthia, RJ, I'll expect you both at afternoon tea today !

WOW, WOW, this looks good!

I'm chuffed, praise from the dessert master - thanks, Martin !

C'mon Cowboy, after all the times you've cursed at me, you think something like that could insult me ?

I have no idea what a challah recipe involves, though. This was listed as a "sweet dough", and that's what I use it for. You're right, it's not really a substitute for brioche in that it's no where near as buttery or tender, but then again we can't eat real brioche all the time (for fear of expiring). And this does only take a couple of hours to make.

Robert, there is a nice variant of this recipe your son might like. You take 30g (1oz) pieces of the dough, roll them into tight balls and rise them for about 45 minutes until they double in size. Then you deep fry them and toss them in caster (superfine) sugar. You can also poke a hole in them and pipe jam or creme patissiere in before serving (we usually just have them plain). The recipe refers to these as "doughnuts".

Cynthia, RJ, I'll expect you both at afternoon tea today !

A challa recipe is basically what you posted. They usually call for oil instead of butter, water instead of milk, and have a couple more egg yolks, too. But the quantities are basically the same. I have seen some challa recipes that call for milk.

That dough nut recipe sounds fun! I'll try that with Colin soon as I'm sure he will love them.

Now, to find that darned passport!

rwj

I just bought --after meeting her--Dorie Greenspan's baking book (one of several), and I plan on making the brioche and then the brioche sticky buns. I'll be blogging it. The books were UPS'd to me, so the minute they get here, I am eating some brioche (okay, not the minute...The minute after all that mixing and rising I'll be eating...)




b

Will be reading it, Barb ! Please give us the link to your blog again...thanks !

Celia, you are right in that brioche can be a chore. Fortunately most of that chore is waiting rather than working but there really is no substitute for the real thing.

Now, this will sound really picky and I'm sorry for that, but it looks like what you have is a recipe for challa rather than brioche. They are both good breads but I find that challa lacks the superior tenderness and flavor that brioche delivers. Though, I find that challa makes a better French toast as it gets real custard-like when cooked.

That said, if I haven't offended you, those chocolate buns look wonderful. Save me a place at the table too, please!

rwj

Similar to challah, but *way* too much sugar for that wonderful bread. I use peanut oil in mine.

This is a bread I'm used to making 2 or 3 dozen times per year.

but *way* too much sugar for that wonderful bread.

True. But closer to challa than brioche nonetheless.

rwj