Blueberry Brioche Food

BLUEBERRY BRIOCHE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and plain sugar in warm water. After 10 minutes, add 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, the milk, butter, syrup, and eggs/yolks. Stir well, add flour and salt.
• Form a rough ball and knead until smooth. Grease a bowl with oil, add the dough and let rise 1 hour.
• Place dough on a floured surface and knead briefly. Roll out into a 10x16 rectangle, sprinkle with blueberries and remaining brown sugar. Roll tightly. Cut into 12 even slices, and squeeze into muffin pans (use two 6 hole pans so that they have room to expand.).
• Set aside to rise 15 minutes while your oven preheats to 350. Bake 35 minutes, till golden. Cool, dust with powdered sugar.

BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side and sugar to the other. Pour in the yeast to the side with the sugar. Mix each side into the flour with your hands, then mix it all together with the dough hook.
• Heat the milk until warm to the touch, but not hot. Mix into the flour mix until combined. With the dough hook on medium, gradually add the eggs and mix for 10 mins.
• Gradually add the softened butter, one or two cubes at a time, until combined. This will take 5-8 mins. Scrape down the sides, the dough will be very soft.
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hr 30 mins-2 hrs until doubled in size and well-risen. Once risen, put in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Portion the dough into seven equal pieces (the easiest way to do this accurately is to weigh it). Lightly dust a work surface with flour, take a piece of dough and pull each corner into the middle to form a circular shape. With a bit of pressure, push down and roll into ball. Repeat with the six remaining pieces.
• Put the balls into the tin, four on one side and three in the gaps on the other side. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 30-35 mins until almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly brush the dough with the egg wash and bake for 30-35 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool completely.

FRESH BLUEBERRY BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Place fresh blueberries on a plate and freeze in a single layer. (Do not use frozen blueberries, as they are too watery.)
• Slightly warm milk and pour into bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Add yeast and whisk by hand to combine. Add all-purpose flour, bread flour, 2 1/2 tbsp sugar, salt, eggs, and egg yolk to bowl. Mix on low speed until dough comes together, 1-2 minutes.
• Increase mixer speed to medium-low and work dough for 6 minutes. Pause every minute to push dough back down and off the hook until it pulls off the bowl sides and looks like a strong bread dough.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add butter, a little at a time, over the course of 2 minutes (pausing after 1 minute to scrape down bowl and hook). When butter begins to blend in, increase mixer speed to medium-high to fully incorporate butter and bring the dough back together, 5-6 minutes longer.
• Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and press into a 16" x 10" rectangle with a short side nearest you; distribute blueberries and 2 tbsp sugar along the top edge and gently roll down, toward you, into a log.
• Place on a greased baking sheet, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
• Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. Reshape dough by pressing it into a 12" x 6" rectangle with a short side nearest you. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp sugar and tightly roll down toward you.
• Place into greased loaf pan, loosely wrap in plastic, and allow to rise in a warm place until more than doubled in size, about 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Carefully brush dough with Egg Wash, making sure egg doesn't pool around the edges. Liberally sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden, 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes in the pan. Then transfer to a cooling rack.