Brioche and Brioche Relatives - flour

Method

• To make the sponge, stir together the flour and yeast in a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer).
• Stir in the milk until all the flour is hydrated.
• Cover with plastic wrap and ferment for 20 minutes, or until the sponge rises and then falls when you tap the bowl.
• To make the dough, add the eggs to the sponge and whisk (or beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment) until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.
• Add this mixture to the sponge and eggs and stir (or continue to mix with the paddle on low speed for about 2 minutes) until all the ingredients are hydrated and evenly distributed.
• Let this mixture rest for 5 minutes so that the gluten can begin to develop.
• Then, while mixing with a large spoon (or on medium speed with the paddle), gradually work in the butter, about one-quarter at a time, waiting until each addition of butter assimilates before adding more.
• This will take a few minutes.
• Continue mixing for about 6 more minutes, or until the dough is very well mixed.
• You will have to scrape down the bowl from time to time as the dough will cling to it.
• The dough will be very smooth and soft.
• Line a sheet pan with baking parchment and mist lightly with spray oil.
• Transfer the dough to the sheet pan, spreading it to form a large, thick rectangle measuring about 6 inches by 8 inches.
• Mist the top of the dough with spray oil and cover the pan with plastic wrap or place it in a large food-grade plastic bag.
• Immediately put the pan into the refrigerator and chill overnight, or for at least 4 hours.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape it while it is very cold.
• If it warms up or softens, return it to the refrigerator.
• If you are making brioches a tete, lightly oil or use spray oil to grease the fluted molds.
• Divide the dough into 12 to 16 portions for petites brioches a tete and 2 to 4 portions for larger shapes.
• (The size of each portion should correspond to the size of the molds; petites brioches a tete are typically 1 1/2 to 2 ounces each, while larger versions can range from 1 to 2 pounds.
• Whatever size you are making, the molds should only be half full with dough to allow for expansion during proofing.)
• Shape the petites brioches a tete into small balls (see page 82) and the larger ones into boules(see page 72).
• Proceed with shaping instructions shown below.
• Place the molds on a sheet pan after final shaping.
• If you are making loaves, grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.
• Divide the dough into 3 pieces and shape the dough into loaves.
• Mist the top of the dough with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap, or slip the pan(s) into a food-grade plastic bag.
• Proof the dough until it nearly fills the molds or loaf pans, 1 1/2 to 2 hours for petites brioches a tete and longer for larger shapes.
• Gently brush the tops with egg wash. Cover the dough with plastic wrap that has been lightly misted with spray oil.
• Continue proofing for another 15 to 30 minutes, or until the dough fills the molds or pans.
• Preheat the oven to 400F with the oven rack on the middle shelf for petites brioches a tete, or 350F for larger shapes.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes for petites brioches a tete and 35 to 50 minutes for larger shapes.
• The internal temperature should register above 180F for the small ones and about 190F for the larger shapes.
• The bread should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom and be golden brown.
• Remove the brioches or loaves from the pans as soon as they come out of the oven and cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes for small brioches and 1 hour for larger shapes before serving.
• Method 1: Dust your hands with flour and, using the edge of your hand (A), divide a ball of dough into a large and small ball by rolling down, but not quite all the way through, the dough.
• (B) Place the large ball into the oiled brioche mold and use the tips of your fingers to indent the top and to round and center the smaller ball.
• Method 2: Roll the dough into a strand that tapers at one end.
• (A) Poke a hole in the thick end and (B) loop the tapered end through it so that it pops out and forms a cap.
• Round the cap into a ball and center it on the larger portion.
• Place it in the oiled brioche mold.
• When a formula calls for lots of fat, whether butter, shortening, or oil, it is usually beneficial to wait until the gluten has had an opportunity to develop before adding the fat.
• If the fat is added at the beginning, it coats the protein fragments (gliadin and glutenin) and makes it difficult for them to bond into the longer, stronger gluten molecule.
• Wait 5 minutes before incorporating the fat to allow complete hydration to occur.
• Of course, there are cakelike variations of brioche in which the butter is intentionally added with the flour to create a very tender, tight-crumbed bread, almost like pound cake.
• If you desire this texture or application, simply add the butter early on and ignore the chill-down step, transferring the batter, with a spoon or spatula, to a greased pan right after the primary fermentation.
• To make brioche a tete, you will need a special fluted brioche mold, available at gourmet kitchen shops.
• These molds come in many sizes, but I find the small 2-ounce molds to be the most functional.
• The larger molds are nice for special holiday or festive breads like panettone.
• Remember to increase the baking time to account for the dough size.
• (All three brioche variations can be made as standard rolls; see page 82 for shaping.)
• The Rich Mans Brioche that follows is even richer than the version presented in Crust & Crumb.
• That one was about 70 percent butter to flour; this version is about 88 percent butter to flour.
• The yeast percentage is thus higher to provide the necessary push, and the sponge is very fast, needing only 20 minutes to develop.
• It is best mixed in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, but it can also be mixed by hand with a sturdy spoon and a strong arm.
• Rich Mans Brioche %
• (SPONGE)
• Bread flour: 12.3%
• Instant yeast: 1.8%
• Milk: 21.9%
• (DOUGH)
• Eggs: 45.2%
• Bread flour: 87.7%
• Sugar: 6.8%
• Salt: 2.1%
• Butter: 87.7%
• Total: 265.5%