Sunday, January 12, 2014

Brioche aux Pépites de Chocolat

Brioche is a subtly sweet eggy yeast dough, kneaded with added butter.  The addition of semi-sweet or dark mini chocolate chips elevates it to favorite status for breakfast or snack time. 

Happy birthday, Sunday Supper!  This week we are celebrating the second anniversary of the creation of Sunday Supper, a movement dedicated to getting folks back around the family dinner table, eating together.  Along with recipes, we are sharing our favorite Sunday Supper memory from the last year.  For my recipe, I decided to go back to my first Sunday Supper post and choose someone else’s recipe from that list to adapt.  I first participated just over a year ago and the theme was “bucket list.”  I tackled lemon soufflé.  As I looked through those recipes, I realized that one of my favorite bloggers, Nancy from Gotta Get Baked, had made something that was also on my bucket list:  Brioche.  So yay!  Another year and another challenge to scratch off the list!

My favorite Sunday Supper memory really speaks about the hearts of the men and women who form this group.  It’s not even post, theme or recipe related.  One night, a couple of months back, one of our British members wrote a heartfelt plea on the Sunday Supper Facebook group wall.


What followed were jokes and commiserations and virtual handholding.  When the next morning rolled around, she came back to thank everyone for seeing her through.  The thread ended with a comment from our wonderful leader, Isabel from Family Foodie.




And, Isabel is exactly right:  That is what makes this group special.

And, now on to the brioche!  I’ve given these special sweet rolls their French name because, when we lived in France, they were my daughters’ first choice of snack when we’d walk down to the local bakery of an afternoon, and that brings back another lovely memory for me.  You can’t beat brioche with little chocolate chips for a great breakfast or snack!

Make sure to scroll down and see all the other celebratory recipes and favorite Sunday Supper memories we have for you today.

Ingredients
For the dough:
4 cups or 500g flour
1 packet (1/4 oz or 7g) dried yeast
2/3 cup or 155ml milk
1/3 cup or 70g sugar
1/2 cup or 110g butter, very slightly softened
2 eggs
100g mini semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

To decorate before baking:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
About 3 tablespoons or 30g pearl sugar

Method
Warm your milk in the microwave by zapping it for about 30-40 seconds.  Sprinkle on the dried yeast and one teaspoon of the sugar.  Stir gently and set aside for about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of your standing mixer, measure your flour and add in the rest of the sugar and the two eggs.  Pour in the milk/yeast mixture.

Mix well and keep mixing until you have a nice homogeneous dough.  This gets pretty stiff and you may need to hold the mixer down if it starts to travel.  Cut your butter into chunks and add about one-third of them to the dough.

Knead, in your mixer, until the butter is fully incorporated. (You can do this by hand but it takes some muscle and time.)

Add the second third of the butter to the dough and knead until incorporated.

Add the final third of the butter and knead again until incorporated.

You should have a stretchy, silky, buttery dough.


Form a ball with the dough and leave it in the bowl.  No need to grease the bowl, it's buttery enough.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in volume.  (If you are living in a cold place, fill your sink with a few inches of hot water and set the covered bowl in there.)


Meanwhile, prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by lining it with stiff paper cups.

Punch down the dough and remove to a clean work surface.  Pour on the mini chocolate chips.  Fold and knead the dough until the chips are evenly distributed.

They look like they don't want to mix it but perseverance here is key.


Cut the dough into 12 reasonably similar pieces.



Roll them in balls and set them inside the prepared muffin cups.


Set aside for about an hour in a warm place to rise for the second time.  (If you live in a cold place, you can do the hot water in the sink trick again but do be careful to put just a little water so it doesn’t come up and wet the stiff paper cups and dough when you put the muffin pan in.)

When you are about 15 minutes from the end of the second rising, preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Beat your egg yolk with the tablespoon of milk.  When the brioche are ready to bake, brush them lightly with the egg yolk/milk mixture and sprinkle on the pearl sugar.




Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the brioche are golden and sound a bit hollow when tapped.


Enjoy!


Happy 2nd Anniversary, Sunday Supper!  It's been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this wonderful group.  Look at all the other celebratory recipes and special memories my fellow members have shared!

Brilliant Breads and Breakfast Fare:
Amazing Appetizers and Cocktails:
Spectacular Soups and Salads:
Enticing Entrees:
Decadent Desserts:




75 comments :

  1. Fantastique, Stacy! J'adore brioche et chocolat chips =) Love your story, too, of how Sunday Supper is a community of support.

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  2. Such a lovely post Stacy! And these brioche are to die for! It's one of my favorite doughs, hands down, and flavoring it with chocolate is the perfect way to eat it.

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  3. Sometimes being this side of the pond has an advantage when you need support in the middle of the night and there are people up in the US. I had a similar thing when I first started to go into labour. I wasn't sure what to do so I called my dad on Skype because for him it was 6pm. My dad loves that he was the first person to find out his oldest child was about to have her first baby.

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  4. I love all the friendships forged through this group, too! Your brioche looks marvelous!!!

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  5. I absolutely agree that Sunday Supper is way beyond just recipes and themes. It's the people, our big extended family all over the world that makes it so very special.
    Your brioche is simply lovely and I also want to tackle making it this year too.

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  6. I can't get over how awesome these adorable brioche look! I have never attempted making bread of any kind; I really need to put that on my bucket list as well!

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  7. I love that you shared your special moment within our group. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of individuals who support and encourage each other... not matter what the situation. Thank you for being part of our Sunday Supper Family. BTW I am over here drooling and want this Brioche for breakfast!!!!

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  8. I'm really going to have to pin this and make it a point to try the recipe in the near future. I've never made my own bread before. The dough looks so good, I'd have to keep myself from biting into it before baking. :-P

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  9. Stacy! I absolutely agree. . love how special, supportive and encouraging this group is! I love your brioche rolls and the pearl sugar is so pretty! love love love the mini chocolate chips inside. . I also want to tackle lemon soufflé one day! Cheers to 2 years!

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  10. First, this recipe is absolutely beautiful! Second, I remember hearing about that story, it was when I was traveling. This Sunday Supper team is so awesome!

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  11. I remember that, I was sending you dirty limericks to make you smile, LOL!! Your muffins looks magical, so happy to be sharing #SundaySupper with you!!

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  12. Oh Stacy, this post has made me cry! That was such a wonderful moment and it just showed how much like a family we are! I will always be grateful for that. Secondly, I am in awe of your beautiful brioche and now determined to try it again; you've explained the method so well it's given me the confidence to try! Thank you :-)

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  13. The Sunday Supper group is awesome! Your Brioche looks gorgeous! This is one recipe I have never tried. I knead to get on the ball LOL!

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  14. Sunday Supper is a very special thing indeed! Brioche is a great way to celebrate it. Love the pearl sugar topping!

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  15. What a perfect post for Sunday Suppers birthday! I love it, and I adore this brioche. Those chocolate chips are killing me! *swoon*

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  16. Yay for Sunday Supper!!! And sweet heavens this brioche looks BEAUTIFUL and so incredibly perfect and delicious in everyyy way!

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  17. Awesome looking brioche! Never made it, and now I want to!
    I have loved being a part of Sunday Supper and cooking along with everyone.
    Cheers to more of it in 2014!

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  18. Such an awesome story and it really is what Sunday Supper is all about! We're here for each other and that's what makes the group special. Your brioche looks delicious with the chocolate in it. Yum!

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  19. Wow this recipe looks awesome! I always assumed that brioche would be hard to make but you make it look easy! Thank you for sharing such a moving story, it just reminds us exactly what kind of people make up this awesome group!

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  20. YAY! There is so many things I love about this post. 1) #SundaySupper is as supportive as you describe, 2) Nancy is such a talented blogger, 3) Homemade brioche? Very impressive!

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  21. I love being a part of this community. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes and self with all of us.

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  22. *drool* I LOVE brioche! I need to bake more bread. Starting with this recipe!!

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  23. Every time I think about that Facebook comment stream I am struck with awe at how amazing of a community we have in Sunday Supper. It is such a beautiful thing to be a part of.

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  24. The kindness of our group ever ceases to amaze me. Have a great #SundaySupper!

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  25. This group is truly amazing, as is your brioche. Yum!

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  26. OMG! Your brioche looks just amazing!! So beautiful!! I agree with everyone, this is the best group to be apart of!

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  27. Beautiful! For your first time at baking brioche, you knocked it out of the park!

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  28. Stacy your brioche are just perfect and I love the cup idea. I must have been thinking way too traditional that I never considered cups! lol
    Also I have never made brioche with pepites de chocolat and I wish I could find good ones here in goa. Strange that you haven't come across a place that sells fresh yeast in the emirates. I will ask a friend of mine who might be able to share some tips and I ll get back to you again. Thank you for your lovely comment earlier and for being part of the #Sundaysupper movement! :)

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  29. Oh my!Your Brioche looks amazing and I seriuosly need them in my life right now since I just popped over from Helene's and drooled over hers too :) Thanks so much Stacy and its been a pleasure cooking with you!Here's to many many more of Sunday Supper fun!

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  30. These look so pretty!! The dough looks so perfect (and good enough to eat raw!)

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  31. I've never made brioche, and need to make up for that. I absolutely love this Stacy. Pinning!!

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  32. Thanks, Kim! I am so delighted to be a part of Sunday Supper.

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  33. I think it's going to be mine too, Paula. Sweet but not too sweet, brioche is the perfect dough.

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  34. I love that story, Laura! What would we do without Skype? I remember those days and they seems soooo long ago.

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  35. Thank you, Liz. The friendships are my favorite part!

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  36. I don't know why I let it intimidate me, Renee. It really wasn't difficult at all!

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  37. You can do this, Katie! Bread is so satisfying to make. And then to eat. :)

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  38. It's the perfect breakfast, Isabel. And I must confess to eating one for an afternoon snack as well. I am so glad you invited me to become a member of Sunday Supper. It has brought me much joy this last year.

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  39. It's hard not to taste the dough so if the raw eggs don't scare you, go right ahead! It's pretty tasty. :) Bread is not as hard as some folks make it out to be. I hope you do give it a try!

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  40. Both recipes turned out to be much easier than I thought they would be, Alice. Thanks for your kind words!

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  41. Best family on the internet, Conni! So pleased to be a part of it.

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  42. You did indeed share dirty limericks. Just what Katy was hoping for, I think!

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  43. You can do this, Katy! I wasn't able to find the pearl sugar here but a friend brought it for me from the UK so I am sure you can find some. I think it makes the brioche!

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  44. Brioche just have to have pearl sugar, Laura! It's hard to find sometimes though. A friend brought me a few bags from the UK.

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  45. Even I, non-eater of sweets, loved these, Lauren. The dough is not too sweet and the semi-sweet chocolate chips added a tiny bitter bite.

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  46. Sunday Supper is the best, Kayle! I've really enjoy participating this past year.

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  47. I am sure non-dairy milk and butter substitute would work, Bea. Let me know how you get on and I'll happily add link to your post for those who need to bake it without dairy.

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  48. Cheers to more of it in 2014 indeed, Dorothy! Cooking and sharing with the group has been such fun!

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  49. I've never met such a group of supportive and friendly folks, Heather! It's been a real pleasure and privilege to be a part of Sunday Supper.

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  50. That's why I do the almost step-by-step, Tammi. It takes the scary away. :)

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  51. I adore Nancy! And brioche turns out not to be so hard, DB. You can do this!

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  52. Thanks, Anne! Let me know how yours turn out!

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  53. Glad you are part of the community as well, Shannon!

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  54. I will need to try it again as I used Whole Wheat Pastry flour and the dough did not come together. I added more almond milk but think that there was way too much gluten in the dough as it did not rise :(


    I will let you know when I am ready for another attempt ;)

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  55. Did your yeast foam up when mixed with the warm milk and sugar? I didn't include that photo but mine looked like this. All puffy and swollen on top.

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  56. Okay. I've been doing a little research. Assuming your yeast was good and the place you set the dough to rise was warm enough, it looks like using all whole wheat maybe too heavy for a big rise. Perhaps try cutting back on the whole wheat and using some plain flour as well.

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  57. Thank you! Let me know how they turn out!

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  58. Hope you do give this a try, Christie!

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  59. It's the most supportive group I've ever been in!

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  60. Isn't it just, Sarah! I am so glad I joined.

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  61. Thank you, Jennifer! So glad to be a part too!

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  62. When we lived in France, the bakery around the corner sold brioche with chocolate just like these but just a bit bigger. Still in individual paper cups though. If you hear of a place for fresh yeast, do let me know!

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  63. It's been a delight to get to know you too, Soni! Although I am thinking we first met through Food Bloggers Network on Facebook. Here's to many, many more!

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  64. If the eggs don't bother you, they don't bother me, Shaina! Have at it!

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  65. Do let me know if you try it, Susan. And thank you for pinning!

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  66. Oh, these are wonderful. Heavy, creamy things aren't my style. Give me a lightly sweet dough like this and a pot of tea and I'm so happy!

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  67. Me too, Anita. I much prefer this to something really sweet.

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  68. I will try it again with my "regular" flour and let you know. Thank you so much, Stacy :) xox

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