I’D TAKE BRIOCHE over a boule or baguette any day, if I have the choice. First mentioned in the early fifteenth century, this butter- and egg-enriched classic French bread, which is classified, along with the croissant, as viennoiserie (in the style of Vienna), is the epitome of richness and elegance. Use small toasted rounds of it under foie gras, or for the ultimate French toast soak slices of brioche in a sweetened egg bath. In the famed Larousse Gastronomique, the Bible of classic French cooking, it’s also recommended to use the dough to create the crust of any sort of protein to be served en croûte, such as roasted beef, pâté, or salmon. It’s actually very easy to make, and I’ve become so fond of the light texture of this gluten-free version that this is the only recipe I now use.
MAKES 1 LOAF
1 tablespoon/12 g active dry yeast
1 tablespoon/13 g granulated sugar
⅓ cup/79 ml water, heated to a temperature of 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C
1⅓ cups/171 g cornstarch
⅓ cup/53 g brown rice flour
⅓ cup/42 g tapioca flour
1 teaspoon/2 g unflavored gelatin or agar powder
1½ teaspoons/13.5 g xanthan gum
½ teaspoon/3 g fine salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature, divided
⅔ cup/158 ml heavy whipping cream, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (¾ stick)/83 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ teaspoon/1.2 ml pure vanilla extract
Spray the inside of an 8½ × 4½-inch/21.25 × 9.25 cm loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
Combine the yeast, sugar, and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the cornstarch, rice flour, tapioca flour, gelatin, xanthan gum, and salt in a deep mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add 3 of the eggs and the cream, melted butter, and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick cake batter that would require spreading in a cake pan; it is too thick to pour.
Lightly grease the inside of a large mixing bowl with vegetable oil or softened butter. Scrape the dough out of the mixer bowl and into the greased bowl, smoothing the top with moistened fingers or a rubber spatula dipped in water. Cover the bowl loosely with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and place it in a warm, draft-free spot. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in bulk.
Punch down the dough and scrape it into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula dipped in water, and cover the pan with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches ½ inch/1.25 cm from the top of the pan. Beat the remaining egg with 2 teaspoons/10 ml of water and a pinch of salt. Brush the egg wash over the top of the loaf.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C toward the end of the rising time.
Covering the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after 25 minutes, bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown, sounds hollow and thumps when tapped on the bottom, and has reached an internal temperature of 190°F/87°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan by running a spatula around the rim and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
The bread is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
VARIATION:
• Add ⅔ cup/97 g of raisins or some sort of chopped dried fruit mixture to the dough.
While dishes like bread pudding and French toast are naturals to make with this bread that’s rich in both eggs and butter, I also use it in many more ways. For a richer coating for food to be oven-fried or pan-fried, use brioche to make your breadcrumbs. I also substitute brioche for English muffins to use for brunch dishes like eggs Benedict, and a thick slice of toasted brioche for dessert is as delicious as a shortcake when topped with fresh fruit and whipped cream.
Creole Bread Pudding is one of my favorite dishes to make with brioche because it has such inherent richness. Pecans and raisins dot this rich, cinnamon-scented pudding from the New Orleans tradition; because it’s a way to use up stale bread, it was a “peasant dish” until the twentieth century.
MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
½ cup/54 g chopped pecans
5 large eggs
1 cup/202 g granulated sugar
2 cups/200 ml whole milk
6 tablespoons (¾ stick)/83 g unsalted butter, melted
1½ teaspoons/7.4 ml pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon/2 g ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
½ pound/227 g loaf Brioche, cut into ½-inch/1.25 cm slices
½ cup/73 g raisins
½ to ¾ cup/118 to 178 ml gluten-free caramel sauce, purchased or homemade
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and grease a 13 × 9-inch/33 × 23 cm baking dish with vegetable oil spray or melted butter.
Spread the pecans in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside.
Combine the eggs, sugar, milk, melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Add the bread slices to the mixing bowl and press them down so that the bread will absorb the liquid. Stir in the raisins and pecans. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until puffed and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165°F/74°C. Serve immediately, topped with caramel sauce.
VARIATIONS:
• Substitute maple syrup for the granulated sugar, reduce the cinnamon to ½ teaspoon/1 g, and substitute walnuts for the pecans.
• Substitute ¾ cup/178 ml of orange marmalade for ¾ cup/151 g of the sugar, omit the cinnamon and pecans, and substitute dried cranberries for the raisins.
• Serve topped with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.