Bread

[Angus]

Ok, I like to have a little play in the kitchen every now and then and even think I can make nice bread.

I want to have a go at making brioche though... any ideas?

My general bread recipe is about 500g of flour, a sachet of yeast and enough warm water to make it dough like. - any room for improvement?

Oh and I'd rather not use scales (although the missus will kill me - apparently jamie oliver says you have to be exact with bread)

[5lab]

chuck a pinch or 2 of salt in there, maybe some sugar too (not sure about the sugar - think i saw it on telly once)

[Angus]

sorry, forgot about the salt.

As you can tell - I think cookings an art rather than a science !!

I spend too much time being exact with computers to worry about weights and measures

[Nick]

Tell you what... go through your dried herbs and throw in some rosemary and marjoram or oregano. If you have any, lob in a bit ot tomato puree and about 4 tbsp of olive oil.

When you've shaped it out, sprinkle over some rock salt or sea salt, then bake... luverly foccacia stylee bread. I knokced up a couple of loaves for the bash last night.. it rocked!

I have a brioche recipe at work, I'll post it in here tomorrow... be warned though... it takes forever and can go wrong real easy... but that's brioche for you!

[Angus]

I know you're probably a bit busy at the moment deck...

but did you find the brioche recipe?

[Nick]

Sorry Angus, I didn't get a chance today. It was my first day back in the kitchen since New Years and you know how the work piles up...... I'll dig it out for you tomorrow though. I KNOW I have one.

[Angus]

Cheers Deck

[Nick]

Here ya go... knew I had one!

Brioche

Prep Time : 2-2 1/2 hours Cooking time : 35 mins

For the brioche
475 g flour
1/2 tsp salt
7g dried yeast
25 g caster sugar
60 ml milk
5 medium eggs
175 g butter, softened

For the glaze
1 egg yolk
15 ml milk

Method

Sift the flour and salt together then stir in the yeast and caster sugar.

Gently warm the milk in a small pan until lukewarm, then beat the eggs and stir into the milk.

Make a well in the centre of the bowl and pour in the milk and egg mixture.

Mix together to form a dough then, using your hands, beat the dough for 4-5 minutes.

Using your hands knead in the softened butter, making sure it is well incorporated then knead until the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic.

Lightly grease a 1.6 litre bread tin.

Form the dough into a rounded rectangle sahpe and drop into the bread tin.

Mix together the egg yolk and milk for the glaze and brush a little over the brioche.

Cover with lightly oiled cling film and leave to rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230C.

Brush the brioche with the remaining glaze and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 190C and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

If you like, you can infuse a whole vanilla pod in the milk while you warm it as this adds a lovely flavour and is brilliant if you're using the brioche in a dessert.

It's best to make this the day before, cool it, then chill it in the fridge... it's much easier to cut that way.

Save a normal sliced bread bag to store it in as mine always seem to sweat if I wrap them in clingfilm.