Buttery Brioche

I’m not typically a morning person, but sometimes when I wake up, I am full of motivation. When I woke up on my day off college last week, I was filled with the urge to bake. Still on a high from my No Knead Bread success, I decided to try another yeast-based recipe.

I had done a lot of reading about brioche, various tips and tricks that people have shared, so I felt quite confident as I weighed and measured different ingredients.



I settled on a very simple Donna Hay recipe, from her Modern Classics 2, undoubtedly one of my favourite cookbooks. I’ve eaten a few brioches in my time but nothing compares to fresh out of the oven, still warm, buttery brioche. What a perfect way to start the morning. I only ran into difficulty at one point. The mixture was a little too soft and sticky to knead, I’m not sure if I beat it for too long or for not long enough. In the end I just used an ice cream scoop and smoothed out the tops as best as I could.

Unfortunately there won't be much cooking around these parts for a little while, because I had my wisdom teeth taken out yesterday and won't be eating much at all. All things considered though, I actually feel okay and there isn't much swelling at all now. I might use this time to catch up on a few recipes I've been meaning to share :)

Brioche
Recipe from Donna Hay Modern Classics 2
Makes 12 small brioches

• 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup lukewarm milk
• 1 cup plain flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon sugar, extra
• 1 egg
• 90g buter, softened

1. Place the yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. The mixture will start to foam, indicating that the yeast is active.
2. Process the yeast mixture, flour, extra sugar and egg in a stand mixer until combined. With the motor still running, add the butter a little at a time and mix until a very soft and sticky dough forms.
3. Place in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), grease a 12-hole cupcake or muffin pan. Divide the dough between the moulds and smooth over the tops. Set aside for 20 minutes to rise again.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the moulds and brush a little melted butter on top. Serve warm or cold.