Lemon and Currant Brioche
Brioche is a delicious sweet bread enriched with butter and eggs. This version is particularly easy and can be whipped up in no time ready for brunch. Brioche is best eaten on the day it is made.
Serves: 12 - 15
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons instant yeast (we use Elfin brand)
4 cups flour
6 tablespoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup currants
zest of 2 lemons
11⁄4 cups milk, warmed
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
150g butter, softened
extra egg yolk for glazing, beaten
sugar for dusting – optional
METHOD
Butter 12-15 approximately 150ml brioche tins or similar moulds.
Combine the flour, yeast, icing sugar, salt, and the currants in a bowl. Mix together the warm milk, eggs, yolks and lemon zest.
Either by hand or using a mixer with a dough hook, beat the milk mixture into the dry ingredients until smooth. Add the softened butter and mix until smooth and glossy.
Transfer to a greased bowl [the dough is very soft at this stage], cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume [approximately 1 hour].
Preheat oven to 200ºC.
Gently ‘knock back’ the dough*. Divide the mixture between the buttered moulds [they should be 3⁄4 full], and allow to rise for a further 20 minutes.
Glaze the tops with the egg yolk, dust with the sugar, [we used crushed sugar cubes] and bake for about 15 minutes until golden and firm. Serve warm. Makes 12-15
*Glossary term: to ‘knock back’ is to gently push out of the dough the gases given off by the yeast during the rising period. It helps to give an even result in the final baked product.
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