the smell of baking brioche

I have wanted to make bread for a while but have been putting it aside out of fear of the difficulty and time it requires to make it. This weekend I decided to go for it and I chose a recipe from the Cheese Board Collective Works book. I wanted to make a rosemary focaccia but when I saw how long it takes to make the starter (12 days!) I decided to set that aside for a future time. I looked for another recipe…something that was doable in one day.

I opened up the book once again and it landed on the page with the recipe for brioches. “Now this is more like it” I thought and proceeded to work on the dough, “maybe I can make some Pain Perdu with it?” Honestly, this was not hard to do at all, it just required some time as you need to let the dough rise. I was really anxious and excited to throw the dough in the oven and let it bake, but I quickly told myself “patience Tita.” So I proceeded to sing the song that I always sing to my little Gabe, “Patience, is an 8 letter word. Patience, for every boy and girl. Patience, 'cause I want milk in my tummy. Patience, 'cause it’s really yummy.”  Just like it calms him, it calmed me down and it reminded me that patience is key to ensuring that this bread comes out yummy.



I found it really exciting when it came time to separate the dough and make the knots as I knew I was getting closer to baking time. They knots looked so pretty and shinny once I coated them with the egg mixture and I couldn’t resist but to stare at them in awe. Now the best part came when the brioche was baking in the oven...OH MY GOD, did the house smell good! Tony and I were motionless as we inhaled the tantalizing scent of baking bread.

I am delighted at the idea of making fresh brioche for Gabe. I know he will love waking up on those mornings that the bread is baking in the oven. I hope that the sweet aroma of baking brioche will remind him of mommy’s love for him.  

Brioches

Preparation time including rising and baking: 3 1/4 hours;

active time: 50 minutes

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2/3 cup golden raisins

Topping

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small sauce pan, heat the cream and buttermilk over low heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Pour into the bowl of a sand mixer or a large bowl. Let cool until just warm, then whisk in the yeast until dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.

If using a stand mixer, add the flour, butter, sugar, 1 of the eggs, and the salt to the bowl. With a paddle attachment on medium speed, mix until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. If the dough is too soupy, add extra flour by the tablespoon until the dough forms a loose ball around the paddle. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 7 minutes, on until the dough is smooth, silky and elastic. Add the raisins and knead just long enough to incorporate them. 

Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. turn the dough over to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Or, refrigerate the dough to rise slowly overnight. the next morning, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand in a warm place for at least 1 hour. 

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar together. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Turn the dough onto a lightly flour surface. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. let rest for 5 minutes. Using your palms, roll each piece into a 10-inch-long length with slightly tapered ends. toss the lengths in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the end of the length over the other, creating a loop with 2 tails. Grasp the bottom tail and threat it through the loop from top to bottom. Fold both tails underneath the knot and push them gently up into the center while using your thumbs to pull down on the outside edge of the roll. 

Place the brioche on the prepared pan about 2 inches apart. Cover them with a floured kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for at least 1 hour, or until increased in size by one-third.

Fifteen minutes prior to baking, preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops and sides of each brioche with the beaten egg. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown, Transfer the brioches to a wire rack to cool.