Brioche Stuffed Chicken Food

MUSHROOM BRIOCHE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F; butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and wipe out the skillet.
• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
• Whisk the eggs and heavy cream in a large bowl. Add the herbs, bread cubes and mushroom-broth mixture and stir until combined. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small cubes and scatter evenly over the stuffing. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, 20 to 30 more minutes.

BRIOCHE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, stir together the flour sugar and salt. Make a well in center of the bowl and mix in the eggs and yeast mixture. Beat well until the dough has pulled together, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.
• Flatten the dough and spread it with one third of the butter. Knead this well. Repeat this twice to incorporate the remaining butter. Allow the dough to rest for a few minutes between additions of butter. This process may take 20 minutes or so. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Deflate the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. It needs time to chill in order to become more workable.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, form into loaves and place into prepared pans. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in volume, about 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans (see Cook's Note to make rolls). Beat the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water to make a glaze.
• Brush the loaves or rolls with the egg wash. Bake in preheated oven until a deep golden brown. Start checking the loaves for doneness after 25 minutes, and rolls at 10 minutes. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool completely.

BRIOCHE BUNS

Steps:

• Mix the warm water, yeast, warm milk and sugar in a bowl. Let it stand for 5 mins until it becomes frothy - this is how you know the yeast is working.
• Tip the flour and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl, add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the centre of the buttery flour and add the warm yeast mixture and the eggs.
• Use your hands to mix it into a sticky dough - don't worry if the mixture feels a little wet at this stage, it will come together when kneading. Tip the dough out onto a floured work surface.
• Knead the dough for 10 mins by stretching it on the work surface - it will still be very sticky at this stage but don't be tempted to add too much flour.
• The dough is ready when it feels soft and bouncy - this means that the gluten strands have developed. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to rise for 1-3 hrs or until doubled in size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out and knead again for 2 mins. The dough should be much less sticky now, but add a little flour if it needs it.
• Divide the dough into 12-16 even pieces. Roll into balls and arrange on lined baking trays. Loosely cover with oiled cling film and leave for about 1 hr or until doubled in size again. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and place a shallow baking tray at the bottom.
• Uncover the trays, brush the buns with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Pour a cup of water into a baking tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam (see Tips for success, left). Bake for 20 mins or until golden, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

STUFFED BRIOCHE FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Arrange six slices of the brioche in a baking pan large enough to fit them all comfortably in one layer. Spread each slice with 1 ounce of cream cheese, leaving a one-half-inch border at the edges. Spread each of the other six slices with a heaping tablespoon of jam, and then invert them onto the halves with the cream cheese, making sandwiches.
• In a large bowl whisk the eggs, milk, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Pour the mixture over the sandwiches, and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning the sandwiches once.
• Lightly spray the peaches with oil.
• Prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium-low heat (about 350°F).
• Brush the cooking grates clean. Tip one sandwich on its side so that any extra liquid runs off. Spray both sides with oil and then place on the grill. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Grill over direct medium-low heat, with the lid closed as much as possible until browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once. Move the sandwiches onto a piece of foil placed over indirect medium-low heat, close the lid, and continue cooking until the sandwiches are firm in the centre, about 5 minutes. At the same time, grill the peaches over direct medium-low heat until the flesh is marked and the peaches are warm, 5 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice. Remove from the grill and cut the peach quarters in half lengthwise.
• Serve the sandwiches hot with the peaches on top.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BRIOCHE STUFFING

Steps:

• Starting from the neck end of the chicken, carefully run your finger under the skin to separate from the meat, leaving it attached in the center to the sternum. Do not tear the skin.
• Evenly pipe stuffing under the skin of the legs and breasts. Season inside of chicken with salt; place rosemary and garlic in cavity of bird. Prick lemon all over with the tines of a fork and add to cavity. Truss chicken and transfer to a refrigerator to chill at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast chicken until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and loosely cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Let stand 30 minutes before carving and serving.