bread baking challenge # 4: BRIOCHE.

 Manet's painting of a perfect brioche with flowers and fruits:

BREAD CHALLENGE # 4:   BRIOCHE.

 BRIOCHE--FRENCH, FRENCH, FRENCH..... AND MORE FRENCH!!!

Since I was a child this is, this was the most desirable dessert. My mother would make brioche on Easter, for Easter morning. So light, puffy, sweet, and buttery at the same time. We always would have homemade preserves (mostly apricot) and warm milk..... what memories!!!!

Later I try to make, never, ever, the same as my childhood, or the ones you can get from very much expensive small little French Cafee, in downtown Boston. I taste the perfect made brioche in Paris, and in London (Harrod's) with tea and preserve.... perfect...

I was looking forward to this challenge, I even postpone and postpone this challenge #, until I found a  day, that  I can dedicate only to baking.... brioche day.

I can tell you from the beginning when I was making the dough, step by step following very strictly Peter Reinhart's recipe, that I thought it is going to be a FAILURE. 

I even imagine how I am going to title this blog a " TOTAL FAILURE!!"

When I realized that I have to mix together 4 cups of flour and 4 sticks of butter (16 oz) and make bread from it, I can't believe it is going to raise or bake all way. 

But it did magnificently and I got a wander full

of brioche out of the oven. 

Tall, brown, and delicious!!!

This was the recipe for "rich man brioche" and there are a few variants with fewer and less butter, for the same amount of flour (4 cups). 

My friends who tried this "Rich" brioche would never imagine it is so much butter contains.

I found a recipe with brioche dough and fruits, for the rest of the brioche dough.

 I made a dessert with green and black grapes, which happen to have in my house. It would be perfect with half apricots, or plums (I love Italian prunes, to bake with) but I just have some grapes. 

I add some walnuts, too.