Brioche loaf

Brioche is my favourite bread.. light, fluffy and so soft, yet rich and buttery.  Perfect for breakfast with jam and butter, or simply on its own with a cup of coffee...


Ingredients:

For the loaf:

• 190g strong white bread flour
• 25g caster sugar
• 1tsp dried yeast
• pinch of salt
• 50ml milk
• 2 small eggs
• 90g soft, unsalted butter

Additionally:

• 1 egg yolk (for egg wash)

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk and eggs and mix until combine.  

Knead on a floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 min by hand or 5 min in a mister with a dough hook).  

When the dough is ready add the butter, in pieces and continue kneading until well combined.

Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with foil and place in the fridge over night.

The next day take the dough out the fridge, knead quickly, then divide into 8 equal parts.  Shape into balls and place in a small, floured loaf tin.  

Leave to rise for about 3 hours, or until doubled in size.

Brush with egg wash and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and baked through.

Leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Mascarpone and raspberry brioche loaf

I absolutely love brioche, rich and buttery but still soft and delicate.  This recipe, with mascarpone and raspberries, is almost a dessert and I can't express enough how lovely it is. Please make sure you read carefully the whole recipe as there are few stages in making this loaf that require time.

Ingredients:

For the brioche:

• 250g strong white bread flour
• 1 1/2 tsp fast action dried yeast
• 2-3 tbsp caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 140g  soft butter
• 5tbsp water

For the filling:

• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 3tbsp icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 2tbsp plain flour
• 1tsp vanilla paste or  1 vanilla pod
• about 40 raspberries
• 1 egg yolk (for brushing)

Mix the flour, water, yeast, salt, eggs and sugar until smooth.  

Add the butter, third at a time, and mix for about 10 minutes until smooth.

The dough will be very sticky and not bread-like, don't worry- everything is fine!

Place dough in a bowl and cover with cling film.  Leave in a warm place for about 90 minutes until doubled in size.

To make the filling mix mascarpone cheese with icing sugar, egg, vanilla and flour and leave in the fridge.

Mix the dough for couple of minutes, put back in a bowl and place in the fridge for 2-12 hours. Two hours is enough but you can leave it in the fridge for up to 12 hours if making the dough in the afternoon, then baking it in the morning. 

Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out to 1 cm thick rectangle. 

Spread the cheese filling and arrange raspberries on top.

Bring the sides of the rectangle to the middle to make sure there is no filling coming out and shape a loaf. 

Place in a lined rectangular loaf tin, then cover the tin with a cloth and leave for about 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 190C.

Brush the brioche with an egg yolk and bake for about 30-35 minutes.

Leave to cool completely in the tin.

Enjoy!

Rhubarb and blueberry brioche

Absolutely delicious! Soft and buttery brioche with fruity, slightly sour rhubarb and blueberry filling.  The recipe requires long preparation as the dough needs to rise and then rest in the fridge.  You can prepare the dough and leave it to rise for the first time in the evening, leave in the fridge overnight (for up to 12 hours) and bake in the morning.  Don't be put off by the long preparation as the recipe is well worth the wait.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 250g plain flour
• 150g soft, good quality butter
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 4tsp caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• pinch of salt

For the filling: 

• 8tsp berry jam
• 2 pieces of rhubarb
• 2tsp  caster sugar
• handful of blueberries

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, 5 tablespoons of warm water, salt and eggs in a bowl.  Mix until smooth then add soft butter and knead.  The dough will be very wet and sticky at this stage but resist the temptation of adding more flour.

Place in a bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour. Knead the dough again, then place in a fridge for 1 hour (or overnight, no longer than 12h).  When the dough is chilled it is much easier to work with.

Divide into 8 pieces, shape into balls and place on the baking sheet.  Press in the middle of each brioche to make a little space for the feeling (do not make a hole!).  Cover with a foil and leave aside.

Cut the rhubarb into 1cm pieces and place with sugar in a hot pan with 2 tbsp of hot water.  Cook for 1-2minutes until soft but still slightly hard in the middle.

Place one tablespoon of jam in the middle of each brioche, then some rhubarb and blueberries (can be frozen) on top.

Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes at 190C.

Leave to cool slightly and sprinkle with icing sugar.

This recipe makes 8 brioche buns.

Enjoy!