Sunday, August 06, 2006
Il fait chaud! - Brioches au coeur de chocolat
[It's hot! - Chocolate-hearted brioches]
Despite allowing you to go to the swimming pool/beach instead of doing the really-urgent-things-to-do, the
heat wave that hit the south of France has few advantages.
Though, I try to remain as optimistic as possible.
OK it's deadly hot.
But yeast is active at high temperatures, isn't it?
I really love to work with
fresh yeast: its strong peppery smell; its lovely soft-rubber texture that's transformed in an airy mousse with hydration-warming.
However I always find it a bit difficult to get dough to rise properly during cold winters. Thus summer is, for me, the perfect time for a bit of yeast action: from
chocolate soft rolls to
bread; from
cinnamon rolls to
foccacia.
I do think that yeasted goods are highly rewarding for some reasons. One of them might be the
scrumptious smell of freshly baked bread/rolls that fills the entire house or the delightful relation between the dough and you during the kneading-part of the job (once I start kneading the dough and feel it becoming warmer and softer it would be hard to stop me).
La briocheBrioches are the typical pastry French children are served for breakfast or for
le goûter and I was no exception.
I remember waiting endlessly for my dad to bring me to the boulangerie
les mercredis [Wednesdays] where I would always have
une brioche au sucre s'il-vous-plait [a sugar brioche, please]. These brioches were special in two ways, the first one being the ritual and the second one being the
hidden surprise inside the brioche.
Because surprise there was! The first bite wouldn't tell you anything, but from the second bite you'd discover a melting chocolate heart.
Brioches au coeur de chocolat
makes 24 small brioches
500ml warm milk + extra milk
42g fresh yeast
1kg flour
200g caster sugar
a pinch of salt
2 large eggs
160g melted butter
24 milk or dark chocolate squares
Combine the milk, yeast and a teaspoon of the sugar in a bowl. Stir once or twice and allow rising for at least 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, remaining sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and pour the yeast mixture on top of it.
Add the eggs and melted butter and mix, first with a round knife and then with your hands – until it forms a ball.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. It should be soft and not sticky.
Butter generously a large bowl. Place the dough in the buttered bowl and let rise overnight in the fridge.
The next morning, allow the dough to come at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Knead the dough and form small 90g balls and insert a chocolate square in the centre of each ball.
Fill two 12-bun muffin tin with the dough balls and let rise for 20 minutes. Brush with a little milk, then bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
If the tops get too brown loosely cover with foil.
Labels: chocolate, recipe inside, yeasted treats
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Sandra Le Petrin said something sweet:
La 1ere fois que j'ai fait des croissants, une pâte levée feuilletée, il faisait 32°C dans ma cuisine.. mais la gourmandise n'a pas de saisons!! Je suis comme toi, j'adore l'odeur de la levure fraîche peut-être parce que c'est ce que ma mère m'envoyait acheter à la boulangerie toutes les semaines.. Tu peux augmenter un peu les doses de levure en hiver 50-60g par kilo de farine, augmenter aussi les temps de levée mais moi, hiver comme été, je fais lever dans mon four éteint avec la lumière du four allumée: un bon petit nid!!
- 06 August, 2006 13:45
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David said something sweet:
It just got cool enough to turn on the oven. Bravo for taking advantage a few days of respite from le chaleur.
- 06 August, 2006 14:17
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Anne said something sweet:
Sounds lovely! Can these be frozen when they're baked? I'd find it a bit hard to finish off 24 of these little beauties in one go ;)
- 06 August, 2006 15:58
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Unknown said something sweet:
Yummy.... can I use dry yeast instead of the fresh one? How much do I need to substitute?
- 06 August, 2006 16:09
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said something sweet:
ça a l'air tellement bon sur ce beau torchon ;)
- 06 August, 2006 16:35
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Elodie said something sweet:
La gourmandise c'est par monts et par vents !
Oh Fanny elles sont trop tentantes tes brioches !
Well done !!!
- 06 August, 2006 19:35
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Julia said something sweet:
O, sounds indeed as a very delicious surprise brioche! :)
And I completely agree about the fresh yeast, it’s such a special product, way better than dry yeast...very nice post! :)
- 06 August, 2006 22:39
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said something sweet:
C'est drole Fanny. J'ai moi aussi fait de la brioche vendredi ;-) C'est dans le vent. La mienne n'avait pas de chocolat, mais tu me donnes de tres bonnes idees gourmandes !
- 07 August, 2006 00:53
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said something sweet:
Brioche is one of my favorite breads. I love to have it for breakfast with butter and jam. Although chocolate sounds pretty good too.
- 07 August, 2006 04:59
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Jen said something sweet:
HI Fanny, these brioches look wonderful, especially when there is a surprise in store : )
Just wondering whether brioches are supposed to be moist or dry? I have had both dry and moist but am unsure whether which kind it is meant to be
- 07 August, 2006 12:55
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Joycelyn said something sweet:
hi fanny, i can just imagine the beautiful perfume of your perfect brioche and the pleasure of the surprise of biting into its chocolate centre...how delectable!
- 07 August, 2006 14:28
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sooishi said something sweet:
elles sont ravissantes!
J'aimerais beaucoup voir l'intérieur...
Bise
- 09 August, 2006 04:43
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Sandra Le Petrin said something sweet:
said something sweet:
