One can hardly write of brioche without recalling the revolutionary words of Marie Antoinette: ”Qu`ils mangent de la brioche,” usually translated as
”Let them eat cake.”
Indeed, those little French rolls with round topknots, enriched with butter and eggs, have a cakelike texture when compared to some other breads that also are eaten for breakfast.
Lesser known variations on the brioche theme include brioche loaves, which have a savory twist provided by black pepper.
Traditionally, adding butter to brioche has been a rather messy process.
No longer. This method for kneading softened butter flawlessly into brioche dough in about 30 seconds is the equivalent of 8 to 9 minutes of hand- kneading.
In a two-step process, dough is combined and partially kneaded in a processor. Then softened butter is added to the dough and kneaded in by continuous processing with the metal blade until the dough has a very sticky, elastic texture with the consistency of wet plaster. The wet, sticky texture is important because brioche will be dry if too much flour is incorporated in the dough.
While it is possible to shorten active working time for this recipe, the best-tasting brioche comes from dough that rises very slowly. As a result, the quantity of yeast is minimal, and total rising time is about 7 hours.
BLACK PEPPER BRIOCHE
One loaf
Processing time: 1 minute
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Rising time: About 7 hours
Chilling time: 2 hours
Baking time: 20 minutes
Starter:
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup unbleached flour
Dough:
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 pound unsalted butter, completely softened
1 tablespoon shortening
Flour
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon milk
1. For the starter, scald milk and cool to lukewarm (110 degrees). Put yeast in a small bowl. Mix in milk and 1 egg. Stir in 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 cup flour. Cover with plastic wrap; secure with rubber band. Set aside to rise until bubbly and thickened, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Can be covered tightly, refrigerated overnight and brought to room temperature before using.)
2. For dough, insert metal blade in dry processor. Add egg, salt, pepper, 3/4 cup flour and starter. Process 20 seconds. Add butter (it must be soft enough to mix into dough without forming lumps) and process 30 seconds, or until dough is smooth, very gluey and elastic with the consistency of wet plaster. If dough is liquid, add 2 tablespoons flour and process 10 seconds;
repeat as necessary to obtain proper texture.
3. Transfer dough to a warm, wet bowl. Cover tightly with plastic, secure with rubber band and set aside until dough rises to slightly more than triple in volume, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
4. Stir down dough with a spoon. Transfer to wet, heavy-duty plastic bag with zipper-lock. Press excess air from bag and seal. Refrigerate dough 2 hours. (Can be refrigerated overnight.)
5. Generously coat a 5- to 6-cup metal loaf pan with shortening. Remove chilled dough from bag. Lightly flour a work surface. Flouring dough and hands as necessary to prevent sticking, flatten dough, then knead by folding tightly into a narrow rectangle approximately the length and width of the bottom of the pan, and working so that the seam side will face down when dough is put in pan. Transfer dough to pan. Cover loosely with a dry towel and set aside until dough rises about 1-inch above top rim of pan, usually 2 hours.
6. Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Use damp pastry brush to coat top of brioche with egg yolk mixture. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool brioche 5 minutes in pan, then transfer to cake rack until cooled to room temperature.
