Comments on: Brioche? Bring it on.

By: Cheryl in GA

Cheryl in GA — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:28:10 +0000

Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe, but when I go to “recipes” and click on the Brioche title, it takes me back to the recipe home page if that makes sense. I’ll try again later, thanks!
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I have sent a trouble ticket to our web team. Hopefully the link will be fixeded quickly. Joan @ bakershotline

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 07:26:56 +0000

So it didn’t raise as much as i would have liked, but it was STILL soooooo yummy! I am hooked. The toast is amazing! I am so glad i finally gave in and tried this recipe.
I realized what my problem was too. Since i did it with my bread machine (that i rarely use) i didn’t really read the instructions as throughly as i should have… as soon as my machine beeped I grabbed the dough and covered it and tossed it in the fridge. i should have waited for the second beep (letting the dough finish the cycle and letting it raise like the instructions stated).
I did tonight and it is b-e-a-utiful! i can’t wait to make cinnamon rolls in the morning! Thanks a ton.

Good job, Yvonne - live and learn (and in the meantime, enjoy the mistakes!) PJH

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:05:25 +0000

Thank you so much for the detail in this recipe! I chose to use my bread machine and if you had not had the pictures and described what the dough would feel/act like, i might have given up. My bread is raising now before i put it in the oven. This is my first go at brioche and I am crossing my fingers. I am determined to conquer this recipe. I am hoping it works. Thanks again, the pictures and description are really helpful!
-Yvonne-
Sending happy thoughts from Alaska.

Thanks for the happy thoughts, Yvonne - back at you from New Hampshire! Could we possibly be farther apart? Enjoy your brioche - hope it comes out golden and beautiful. PJH

By: Alicia

Alicia — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:41:52 +0000

Do you know if this recipe will work at high altitude (~4500 ft) ? I have been disappointed by so many loaves of bread I’m hesitant to try this out without knowing first.

Take a look at our High Altitude page: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes2008/high-altitude-baking.html
Call us on the hot line if you need assistance:800-827-6836. Frank @ KAF.

By: Solange Kelly

Solange Kelly — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:18:03 +0000

PJ Hello
What can I tell you…I have been using the “fast action bread yeast”.
I would have thought it would be fine,don’t you think?
I have tried to make the brioche with my Kenwood Chef machine,the
bread maker,by hand, all to no avail. I must have used at least 30 eggs so far and no result.Not that I care about the waste for one moment.
That’s my stupid tale of woe sorry.
What the blazes is wrong with me? Wow,I think time has come to give it a rest for awhile.
Other than that there is nothing more I can say.Except :I was determined to beat the odds,but failed… oh well,all I can say(don’t laugh)boo,hoo to me…..
Thanks for listening anyway.I ‘ll say cheers for now,and will keep in touch.
S.Kelly

You have my sympathy, Solange. I’ll send you some good bread karma. PJH

By: Gordon McDowell

Gordon McDowell — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:39:36 +0000

When I was a child I went to school in France. I thought the whole world ate like the French do. When I returned home for summer vacation, I would ask for croissants, baguettes and, of course, brioches. I always felt cheated when I was served a horribly inferior (faux) imitation. I finished up high school in the States but flew straight back to Paris as soon as I was accepted at the Sorbonne. I was always fascinated with chemistry so I investigated possible chemical differences between “American” baking techniques and the sublime French methods. I investigated the flour first and found that it is made from a different strain of wheat and has a lower protein level which makes a more tender product. But I soon discovered that just about every food product in France is superior to the rest of the world.
The agriculture department has very strict rules about how foodstuffs are grown and cultivated. Very little pesticides and artificial chemicals are even allowed. But just about everything in the food chain is purer and more nutritious because the French keep it that way. For something as simple as bread this is vital to the whole eating experience - flour, water, eggs, butter, yeast have to be robust and not flaccid. When friends go to France I say, “Forget the Châteauneuf du Pape, bring me French flour and butter.”
I just happily received a big order from KAF so that I can make my beloved brioche. I asked Molly @ KAF if she thought it would be a good idea to mix the KAF all purpose with 1/3 KAF Mellow Pastry flours to get a version of the lower protein French flour that would make a more tender product. She agreed. I can occasionally find European butter but it is too expensive to use for everything.
European butter is much lower in water than US butter. If I melt a pound and a quarter of butter and gently “cook” it for 15 minutes (you don’t want to brown it for these purposes), the excess water will steam off. The milk solids will sink to the bottom and I use a gravy separator to pour off just the buttery oil. 5 sticks of butter will result in the equivalent of 4 sticks. I cover the butter and put it into the refrigerator to solidify. (This is like Indian gee.) When I use the butter in breads, I always include the KAF Baker’s Special Milk to make up for the discarded milk solids from the steaming process.
I wait until butter is on sale and I steam 5-10 pounds once a month and save it in several smaller containers and I can put some in the freezer. It’s important to keep it covered so that it does not take on any refrigerator odors.
I have two techniques which I learned in France for home baking:
1. if I am making pie dough (pâte brisée) I measure out the flour into a stainless bowl and put it into the freezer for thirty minutes (along with the butter and lard) to help keep the dough cold while working with it.
2. If I am making a yeast dough, I put the flour into the stainless bowl and put into the oven for 15 minutes at 250° to warm the flour before mixing which jump starts the rising process.
And I ALWAYS bottled spring water in baking - chlorine never added any pleasant taste to baked goods.
Well, I’m off to make brioche dough which I will bake off in individual fluted molds for breakfast tomorrow and two braided loaves for French toast on Sunday.

Thanks for this long, newsy comment, Gordon. Wish I could share French toast with you Sunday - sounds wonderful… PJH

By: Solange Kelly

Solange Kelly — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:51:25 +0000

Hello PJH
Well,it seems I failed yet again. Got up from my slumber at 5a.m to take the dough out from the fridge.Result? dire..It was very,very wet,and had to dust it well with extra flour,to enable me to twist it into a “plat”.Baked it in the oven, result? All I could taste was the YEAST,and no trace of the precious “mahlep” ingredient. Alas,failed the test.
Nevermind though,I can use it one way or another,but not as proper brioche/chalah/or the greek one.
In the last two weeks I have used at least 16 eggs all for nought.Doesn’t bother me though,I can replace them and start all over again.Next step,will have to be in the “bread maker” ..To think in the past when I was in my teens..I just made anything that requires yeast,and it just worked fine.Now that I am a bit older for some reason MY DAMN YEAST WILL NOT RISE! Incidently,when on line I put this particular question i.e My yeast won’t rise..I saw quite a few frustrated people saying the same thing.Oh well,better luck next time ha? Will bear in my mind ordering the Baker’s Special milk from your catalogue–that is failing/finding it in our suppermarkets. Tell me,is this strictly only found in the USA?
Once again many thanks PJH
I’m sorry your bread is giving you diffficulty. Give us a call at 800-827-6836 and we’ll troubleshoot the recipe with you. Molly@KAF

Solange, I wonder what’s up with your yeast? You’re in the UK? Do you use instant yeast, or active dry, or…? It’s hard to trouble-shoot recipes made with way different ingredients… But, as Molly said, contact us by phone, or try our LiveChat feature to “chat” with a baker. We look forward to hearing from you - PJH

By: Solange Kelly

Solange Kelly — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:02:22 +0000

Hi PJH Thanks for the information,but I had to begin it without the Baker’s Special dry milk. Being Sunday did not feel like going out.
At present it is in the fridge,and what I did.–not having as large a container described in the picture.So,what I did was put the Kenwood bowl covered it up with a cling film at 5.35 GMT,it has been there since and will not be used until tomorrow noon day. Whatever happens if I succeed well and good,if not tough!
However,on my next shopping day,will buy(If available) the Bakers’s Special.
Thanks and wish me luck.I have been going bonkers trying to make my brioche which I flavor with “mahlep” which gives the special Greek Easter bun. But to see thedough rise? vain hope.
Be it by hand,Kenwood,or my new Kenwood Bread Maker without success.
Would have loved to flavor it with vanilla,but there again how etc.
Thanks again though because one never thinks dough rising in the “fridge” There you go.
S.kelly

Hope it works out for you, Solange. You won’t find Baker’s Special milk at the store - we sell it here at our catalogue. It’s a professional bakers’ ingredient, and thus wouldn’t be available at a normal store. Substitute regular nonfat dry milk - it won’t help the yeast, but also won’t be subject to perhaps going “off” like fresh milk would… PJH

By: Solange Kelly

Solange Kelly — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:27:28 +0000

Having read the brioche resipes both,one made in the electric mixer,and the other in the bread maker. Why do I have to use “dry milk”?

I like our Baker’s Special dry milk, Solange, because it’s specially formulated to help yeast breads rise higher - it disables a certain enzyme, protease, that inhibits yeast. It’s also, in my opinion, more stable than fresh milk, as fasr as not acquiring any “off” flavors during the longer rises brioche needs. But go ahead and substitute fresh milk, see what happens - I think the rise just may be slower. PJH

By: Liliana Szachury

Liliana Szachury — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:34:54 +0000

I would like to know if all the yeast breads can be made with a cast iron pan preheated and then put boiling water, in the below rack the bread when it is baked or that technique is just for sourdough bread and bagettes? can be used for all yeast bread?

Liliana, you only want to do this with breads that are supposed to be crusty/crunchy. For instance, you wouldn’t do it with sweet breads, or sandwich loaves, or dinner rolls; you would do it with baguettes, and boules, and crusty “country loaves.” PJH