La brioche

Wouldn’t it be nice, to have a Brioche Day every week, so that you never run out of it? A full day dedicated to baking and eating brioche. I would be so happy to mark this day on my calendar. Growing up, we used to have a Weekly Fish Day, every Friday, so why not a Brioche Day?

Brioche has to be my favorite viennoiserie, whether to bake or eat. There is so much pleasure associated to a homemade brioche. Think about the immense happiness that arises from biting into the sweet airy, moelleux bread which, after one slice, invites you to a second one. With me, however, it starts with the smell, that very one of yeast which ferments and diffuses its wonderful aroma in the whole house. As a kid, whenever my mum used to bake a brioche, I loved to hang out in the house, never going too far, but preferring to stick around only to be able to watch the steps involved in her making of the brioche. I would sneak in to smell it, every now and then, lifting the towel covering the dough discreetly so as to check the puffiness of the dough. I found this pretty fascinating actually. If I could have trapped the brioche fragrance in a jar which I could have opened at will only to inhale, I would have been a very happy girl.

Making Brioche

But although I love brioche, I do not make it as often as I wished. Because between you and me, for all of us who have already baked brioche, we know that it takes time. And, wouldn’t we all love to have more time at hand, to cook the subject of of our deepest fancies? Just like with any type of bread, a brioche requires attention.

And so instead of making only one brioche, I baked two. Let me explain, because there is a reason. I needed to have stale brioche for another baking project, and really, can brioche really ever get stale? Certainly not in our household! You will soon see what I am talking about, but in the meantime, I hope that you enjoy a piece of the simplest pleasure with the simplest brioche. Ce n’est vraiment pas compliqué ! (Not difficult at all!)

The Simplest Brioche (1 loaf, mold 10 ” long) You need: 8 3/4 oz (1 2/3 cups) all-purpose flour

2 3/4 oz butter, at room temperature

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 dose dry baker’s yeast (1 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp fine sugar

1/3 cup warm milk

1 pinch salt

1 egg yolk for glaze Steps: In a bowl, mix the flour with the yeast, make a hole in the middle.

Add the warm milk mixing with the tip of your fingers (if using a stand mixer, pour the milk slowly and steadily while mixing, with the hook attachment.)

Add the sugar and a pinch of salt, then add the soft butter, piece after piece, waiting each time that each piece is asborbed.

Then one by one, add the eggs, mixing well between each. Work the dough until it is elastic and detaches from your fingers more easily (or from the bowl of the stand mixer).

Cover and let rest in a warm place, away from drafts, for two hours, until it doubles in size.

Work the dough again for 10 min and divide it in four balls. Place them in a greased rectangular mold and cover. Let rise for an hour again.

Preheat the oven at 400 F.

Brush the brioche with the egg yolk mixed with a dash of sugar. With a pair of scissors, make small cuts at the top of each ball.

Place in the oven to bake for 10 min then reduce the heat to 350 F and bake for about 20 to 30 min.

Remove, unmold and let cool on a rack.

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