Orange & Cinnamon Brioche
Serves: Makes a 1 kg loaf
Takes: Over 1 hour
Brioche is an enriched sweet bread often eaten at special occasions in France. This is a recipe for a 1 kg loaf but you can make these into small individual brioches if you like, and add any sweet spices such as nutmeg, cloves or saffron.
Ingredients
250g strong white bread flour
good pinch of salt
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
7g sachet fast action dried yeast
80ml milk, heated until just warm
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 orange, juice and zest
130g unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes, and a little extra for greasing
1 beaten egg, to glaze
little milk, to glaze
Method
Tip the flour into a large bowl. On the left hand side sprinkle in the salt, sugar and cinnamon. In the right sprinkle in the yeast. Make sure they do not touch as the salt will stop the yeast from working.
Mix the milk with the eggs, orange juice and orange zest.
Pour most of the liquid in and start mixing the dough until it comes together. Add more liquid if you need to. A wet dough is better than a dry one.
Knead the dough for 5 minutes to activate the gluten. It will get dryer as you knead it. Use a little extra flour if it's sticking to your surface too much.
Once it's elastic and soft start adding the butter, little by little, kneading it in as you go. Knead for a further 5 minutes before leaving in a greased bowl. Cover and leave in a warm place to double in size. This could take anything from 2 hours to 6 hours depending on how warm it is.
Once risen, knock back the dough by kneading again for 1 minute. Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape so they can fit into the loaf tin just like the photo.
Grease a 1 kg loaf tin with butter and line with parchment paper. Place the mini loaves in the tin, cover and leave to rise again for an hour or so. It will have risen to the rim when it's ready.
Preheat an oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Make the glaze by beating together the egg with a little milk. Brush on top of the brioche and pop in the middle of the oven for 20 - 25 minutes until risen and golden brown. Check it's baked by inserting a skewer into the middle, it should come out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully removing and allowing to cool on a wire rack.
Serve warm spread with lemon curd if you have it.
