The name pompe à l’huile is an indication of how this Provençal specialty is made: dough pumped full of oil. Might as well be proactive and drown the bread in extra-virgin olive oil ahead of time if you’re going to do it anyway.

Saveur describes it as a cross between a focaccia, because it is shaped into a round flatbread, and a brioche. I can’t see how pompe à l’huile is similar to a brioche, though. Sure, it has high fat content, but there are no milk, eggs, or butter in it.

All overthinking pedantic musings aside, what we have here is a flaky flatbread in a class all its own. I tweaked the original recipe by giving the poolish a 16-hour headstart, instead of 30 minutes, for that extra hint of complexity that can only come from slow fermentation. It’s how bread geeks do.

recipe adapted from Saveur
Bread Baking Day #22: Sweet Breads hosted by Hefe und Mehr
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Pompe à l’Huile
Provençal Sweet Olive Oil Bread

makes one 12-inch flatbread

Notes:

• You’ll need exactly one 1/4 ounce / 7 gram sachet of instant yeast. Take a small pinch out for the poolish and reserve the rest for the final dough.
• Other recipes for pompe à l’huile call for some combination of anise seeds, orange flower water, and orange zest. These additional ingredients are also common in Gibassier, a close sugar-topped relative.

For the Poolish:

Poolish Directions:

1. Pour the water over the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add the flour and mix until thoroughly hydrated.
2. Cover and and let stand at room temperature for 14 to 16 hours.

For the Final Dough:

Final Dough Directions:

Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the poolish, flour, sugar and yeast, just until the flour is thoroughly hydrated and a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Gradually add the olive oil a few tablespoons at a time, mixing to incorporation with each addition.

Knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It will be very slippery because of the olive oil.

Bulk Ferment. 2 1/2 to 3 hours at room temperature. Begin preheating your oven to 400ºF / 205ºC towards the end of bulk fermentation.

Prepare a half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Shape Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. Using a knife, cut 5 slits in the center of the flattened dough to resemble a sand dollar (or make up your own pattern). Stretch out the holes using your fingertips to keep them from closing.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400ºF / 205ºC, until well-browned around the edges.

Cool. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely at room temperature.

Sweet, tender, and flaky, kind of like a brioche. Now I get it.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pompe à l’Huile – Sweet Olive Oil Bread

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1. Pan de Leche – Filipino Sweet Bread Rolls
2. Pane Francese – Northern Italian French Bread
3. Rosemary Potato Bread
4. Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread – 100% Whole Wheat
5. Blueberry-Cranberry Bread
6. Sourdough Italian-Style French Bread

English hot cross buns are scented with allspice and baked with dried currants and candied citrus peel. The buns are traditionally enjoyed for breakfast on Good Friday, but that doesn’t keep me from baking these all year round. It’s ready in about three hours so it’s quick as far as yeast rolls go.

The dough is also an excellent base recipe for pillowy, moist, and lightly sweetened rolls. Even with the cookie-like cross on top, most of the sweetness comes from the additional dried fruits and candied citrus peel. Variations with spicing, fruits, and even nuts makes this recipe an easy way to use up odds and ends from baking other stuff.

The crossing paste is piped right before baking. The cross ends up crisp, much like lemon vanilla cookies, and goes well with the softness of the buns. Most versions I’ve tried are topped with a thick cross of icing after baking and tend to be way too sweet to my liking.

I should mention that the cross adds an agreeable vanilla-citrus crunch and is definitely not just for decoration. I’m thinking of using different extracts and flavorings for the paste, perhaps as an addition to brioche. It’s kind of fun to doodle on dough and bake.

Happy Easter!

recipe adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman’s Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog
Bake Your Own Bread

Traditional English Hot Cross Buns

makes 12 buns

Components:

Sponge
Simple Syrup Glaze
Crossing Paste
Hot Cross Bun Dough

Special Equipment:

• A pastry bag
• A #11 or #12 round pastry tip (about 1/4-inch opening)

For the Sponge:

Sponge Directions:

1. Whisk together the warm milk and sugar to dissolve. Add the instant yeast and flour and continue whisking until smooth.
2. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the sponge is 3 to 4 times its original height. The sponge will be frothy and slightly jiggly.

Mmm yeasty.

For the Simple Syrup Glaze:

Simple Syrup Glaze Directions:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. The simple syrup can be used as a glaze while still hot or made ahead and refrigerated.

For the Hot Cross Bun Dough:

For the Crossing Paste:

Notes:

• Make the crossing paste just as the shaped rolls are almost done proofing. The paste may stiffen if made too far ahead.

Hot Cross Bun Directions:

Mix. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and softened butter. Add the egg, sugar, salt, and allspice and continue mixing until evenly incorporated. Add the sponge and continue mixing until a shaggy ball of dough is formed.

Knead for 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough is only slightly sticky. Add dried currants or raisins. Fold the dough over itself gently until the dried fruits are evenly distributed in the dough.

Bulk Ferment #1. 30 minutes at room temperature

Lightly knead the dough inside the bowl.

Bulk Ferment #2. 30 minutes at room temperature

Prepare a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Divide. 12 pieces

Shape. tight round rolls

Final Proof. 60 minutes at room temperature, or until about 1 1/2 times its original size

Preheat Oven. 440ºF / 225ºC

Make the Crossing Paste. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly (the sugar won’t be completely dissolved at this point).

Remove from the heat. Add the milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and egg. Continue whisking until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the sifted flour and mix only until a smooth paste is formed.

Pipe the Crossing Paste. Use a round pastry tip with a 1/4-inch opening. Pipe the paste after the dough is done proofing and right before baking.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes at 440ºF / 225ºC, until the buns are well browned and the crossing paste is lightly colored.

Glaze. Brush with the simple syrup glaze immediately after removing from the oven.

Serving / Reheating. This just in: hot cross buns are best when fresh and served hot. Reheat day-old buns at 350ºF / 175ºC for about 6 minutes before serving.

This is a first. Half the buns are usually gone in the time it takes to shoot a camera.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Hot Cross Buns Recipe

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2. Challah Recipe from The New York Times
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Edam cheese is essential for making ensaimada. Filipinos know it best as queso de bola, bowling balls of cheesiness covered in a protective shell of red wax. These big-as-your-head cheese balls always made our dinner table during christmastime. We have this tradition of rounding up thirteen different types of spherical fruits to symbolize prosperity for the new year, so queso de bola fits in quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

No one ever told me that the waxy coating on queso de bola was, in fact, actual wax. Other kids voluntarily ate glue; I unknowingly ate paraffin. Copious amounts of it. Needless to say, I hated queso de bola with a passion, but continued to eat it anyway because everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

Now that I know better, I always keep a wedge on hand. I find Edam plain and inoffensive as far as cheese goes, but finely grated and baked with sweet brioche dough, we end up with a well-loved Filipino bread along the ranks of pan de sal and pan de leche. There are many other ways to enjoy queso de bola, of course.

Storebought versions are more like sponge cakes heavily topped with sugar, cheese, and butter. This breadier version has a fluffy interior, deeply browned flaky crust, and a nice buttery finish. I prefer to keep ensaimada plain because there’s enough cheese, butter, and sweetness in the bread itself, but there’s nothing wrong with a light dusting after baking. I listed a number of optional glazes and toppings.

This recipe for ensaimada benefits from an overnight rest in the fridge mainly to maximize flavor development. It really makes a huge difference in taste and texture. The dough is filled with cheese and coiled into snail-shaped rounds, so chilling also makes shaping easier, fun even.

Bread Baking Day #16: Bread with Cheese hosted by High on the Hog

Ensaimada (Snail-Shaped Brioche)
Filipino-Style with Edam Cheese

makes 4 ensaimadas (about 6 inches in diameter)

Dutch Edam cheese. Red wax is not good eats.

Ensaimada Dough Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                   2 2/3 cups         12            340
whole milk                        2 tbsp          1             28
large eggs                        5               8.8          250
instant yeast                 1 1/4 tsp
salt                            1/3 tsp
granulated sugar                1/4 cup           2             56
unsalted butter, softened       1/2 cup           4            113
grated Edam cheese          about 1 cup

Optional Glaze (before baking):

egg wash (1 egg + 1 teaspoon water)

Optional Toppings (after cooling and baking):

softened butter
granulated sugar
grated Edam cheese

Directions:

Mix             Stir the flour, milk, eggs, yeast, salt, and sugar.
                Mix until evenly hydrated and a shaggy ball of dough
                is formed.

Rest            15 minutes

Knead           Add the butter about a tablespoon at a time, kneading
                to incorporation with each addition. Continue kneading
                until all of the butter is incorporated and a smooth
                ball of dough is formed.

Refrigerate     12 to 24 hours

Prepare a sheet pan lined with parchment or silicone.

Divide          Remove from the refrigerator and immediately divide
                into 4 pieces. The dough will be stiff and may have
                risen slightly.

Rest            15 to 30 minutes. The dough should be slightly softer
                but still cool to the touch.

Shape           Pat the balls of dough into a rectangular shape, about
                4 inches by 12 inches. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of grated
                Edam cheese over the dough. Roll tightly into logs and
                pinch the seams to seal.

                Coil the rolled dough into a tight spiral and tuck the
                outer end underneath the dough. Proofing the shaped
                dough in appropriately sized brioche or tart pans is
                nice but not necessary.

                Place the shaped ensaimada on the lined sheet pan.

Final Proof     About 2 hours at room temperature

Preheat Oven    350ºF / 175ºC

Glaze           Glaze with egg wash (optional)

Bake            Bake for 20 to 24 minutes at 350ºF / 175ºC, rotating
                the pan halfway through baking. The center of the loaf
                will register 185ºF / 85ºC to 190ºF / 88ºC when done. 

Cool            At least 30 minutes

Toppings        Top with any combination of softened butter, granulated
                sugar, or grated Edam cheese (optional)

The fourth one didn’t make it for the shoot.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Ensaimada – Filipino Cheese Brioche

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6. Croque Madame – Grilled Cheese, Ham, and Egg Sandwich

This stollen is one of many treats lovingly inflicted upon kith and kin for Christmas, alongside boatloads of cookies and chocolate. If my number crunching is correct, at a going rate of 3500 calories per pound, my beat-up oven is responsible for a metric ton of holiday season weight gain. I’m just glad that no one’s complaining and not much of the poundage ended up on me.

It was difficult to decide on a stollen recipe not because I lacked choices, but because I had way too many. There was no time to deal with a dud, so when Nils gave Dan Lepard’s extra moist stollen a thumbs up, I knew which recipe to try.

Don’t let the long list of ingredients discourage you — most of the recipe items are spices and fruits. Everything will come together quickly because there’s not much kneading and the smooth dough is easy to handle by hand.

Shaping the stollen is probably the most fun part about making it. There’s something satisfying about enclosing a roll of marzipan in fruit-studded dough.

recipe adapted from Dan Lepard
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog
Bread Baking Day #15: Festive Breads hosted by Annarasa

Dan Lepard’s Extra Moist Stollen Recipe

makes one stollen

Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                   2 3/4 cups         12.3          350
granulated sugar                1/3 cup + 2 tsp   2.6           75
salt                            3/4 tsp
cardamom, ground                1/2 tsp
mace, ground                    1/2 tsp
clove, ground                   1/2 tsp
cinnamon, ground                  1 tsp
raisins                         1/2 cup           2.6           75
dried currants                  1/2 cup           2.6           75
candied citron                  1/2 cup           2.6           75
instant yeast                     4 tsp

whole milk                      2/3 cup           5.3          150
whole rye or whole wheat flour    3 tbsp           .9           25
unsalted butter, melt and cool  1/2 cup + 1 tbsp  4.4          125
large egg                         1
large egg yolks                   2
dark rum                          2 tbsp
finely grated lemon zest          1 lemon

marzipan, rolled into an 8-inch stick             8.8          250

melted butter and confectioner's sugar, for finishing

Directions:

Mix             Stir the flour, sugar, salt, ground spices, fruits,
                and yeast together.

                In a small skillet, bring the whole milk and whole
                rye or wheat flour just to a boil. It will resemble
                a thick porridge.

                In a clean bowl, add the boiled milk and the
                melted butter and stir, followed by the eggs, rum,
                and lemon zest.

                Add the liquid to the flour mixture and mix until
                the dough is evenly hydrated.

Rest            10 minutes

Knead           Knead lightly by hand just until smooth, about
                1 to 2 minutes.

Bulk Ferment    90 minutes

Shape           Deflate the dough by kneading lightly. Shape
                into an offset fendu and roll with the
                marzipan as shown:

Gently pat the dough into an 8- by 10- inch rectangle. Using a rolling pin, make an indentation just off the center of the dough and lay the marzipan on top.

Roll and press down on the edges to seal the marzipan in the dough.

Shaped stollen

Final Proof     about 45 minutes at room temperature, or until
                almost doubled in size

Preheat Oven    360ºF / 180ºC

Bake            35 minutes at 360ºF / 180ºC

Finishing       Brush with melted butter and generously sift
                confectioner's sugar over the top.

Links related to Dan Lepard’s Recipe for Extra Moist Stollen:

• Stollen recipe discussion at Dan Lepard’s bread and baking forum

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Dan Lepard’s Stollen Recipe

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Heavy on cranberries and walnuts, bejeweled strips of dough barely held itself together as I tried to make a braid out of it. It didn’t seem like the freshly kneaded ball could take the large amount of dried fruits and nuts, but sure enough, everything came together as advertised after a few folds.

As you can clearly see in Exhibit A above, the result is a fruit-nutty equivalent of Chips Ahoy! (a chocolate chip in every bite). What isn’t quite obvious from the photo is the essential scent of orange extract that pulls everything together.

Citrus and cranberries have a natural affinity, so much so that Trader Joe’s decided to package both as orange-flavored cranberries, easily my favorite TJ foodstuff. It must be pretty popular because it’s been around for a while — TJ products are quickly dropped if they don’t fly off the shelves fast enough.

I use orange-flavored cranberries anywhere regular dried cranberries are needed. It’s not bad for light snacking, too. The only bad thing about it is I’d forgotten what cranberries are supposed to taste like.

recipe adapted from Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Cranberry-Walnut Bread

makes one braided loaf, boule, or batard
the shaped bread will fit on a half-sheet pan

Dough Ingredients:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                       3 cups         13.5          383
granulated sugar                  3 tbsp          1.5           43
kosher salt                     1/2 tbsp          0.2            5
instant yeast                 3 1/2 tsp           0.4           11

orange or lemon extract       1 1/2 tbsp          0.8           21
large eggs, lightly beaten        2               3.3           94
whole milk, at room temp        1/2 cup           4            113
unsalted butter, melted           2 tbsp          1             28
water, room temp                1/4 cup           2             57

dried cranberries             1 1/2 cups          9            255
coarsely chopped walnuts        3/4 cups          3             85

1 whisked egg, for the egg wash

Notes:

• Use about 3 tablespoons of citrus zest or an equal amount of orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) instead of orange or lemon extract.
• The combination of cranberries with pistachios are a close second.

Instructions:

Mix             Stir the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast together. Add
                the orange or lemon extract, eggs, whole milk,
                butter, and water. Mix until a shaggy ball of dough
                is formed.

Knead           5 to 6 minutes

Rest            5 minutes

Knead           Add the cranberries and knead gently for 2 to 3
                minutes. Add the walnuts. Gently fold the dough over
                itself until the cranberries and walnuts are
                evenly incorporated.

Bulk Ferment    2 hours at room temperature

Shape           double-decker braid (as suggested in the original
                recipe), three-braid (as shown), boule, or batard.

Chockful of fruits and nuts. Just like high school.

Egg Wash        Glaze with about half of the egg wash. Refrigerate
                the rest of the egg wash for a second coating
                after the final proof.

Preheat Oven    325ºF / 165ºC

Final Proof     60 to 90 minutes at room temperature while uncovered,
                or until almost doubled in size

Egg Wash        Glaze with the rest of the egg wash

Bake            Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at 325ºF / 165ºC, rotating
                the loaf halfway through baking if necessary. The
                center of the loaf will register 185ºF / 85ºC to
                190ºF / 88ºC when done. 

Cool            At least 1 hour

Freshly baked cranberry-walnut bread.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Cranberry-Walnut Bread

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This blueberry and cranberry loaf is based on a recipe for “election day bread,” which originally had raisins, candied citrus, and spices. Considering its name, doesn’t it make more sense studded with reds and blues?

But since blueberries are in season during the warmer months and cranberries during the cooler months, this combination doesn’t make sense from the standpoint of the farmer’s market-obsessed, either.

Help decide the outcome of this recipe. Which would you prefer?
(click here to visit the original post if you can’t see the polling form below)

Your input counts.

adapted from the Election Day Bread recipe in Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads

Blueberry-Cranberry Bread with Nuts

makes one 10-inch tube loaf

Red, white, and blue with a handful of nuts. Very American.

For the Yeast Batter:

1 1/2 cups bread or all-purpose flour (6.75 ounces / 191 grams)
3 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water, about 120ºF / 49ºF

For the Final Dough:

3 cups bread or all-purpose flour (13.5 ounces / 383 grams)
2 teaspoons salt

3/4 cup butter (6 ounces / 170 grams), at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces / 200 grams)
2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 tablespoon flour

confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix Batter      Mix all of the yeast batter ingredients until smooth.
                The consistency will be similar to thick pancake
                batter.

Ferment         Cover the yeast batter and let rise for 30 minutes. The
                yeast batter will be bubbly and will rise considerably.

Mix Dry         Mix the 3 cups of flour and salt until thoroughly
                incorporated.

Cream           Cream the room temperature butter and sugar until light
                and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue
                mixing until smooth.

Final Mix       Add the butter mixture to the yeast batter and stir
                thoroughly. Add the salted flour about 1/4 cup at a
                time while stirring vigorously. The batter will be
                very sticky and have some gluten development.

                Dredge the blueberries, cranberries, and nuts in
                1 tablespoon of flour and add to the batter. Mix
                until the fruits and nuts are evenly distributed.

Pan             Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 10-inch tube
                pan. Level and smooth the tops with a spoon.

Final Proof     Cover and let rise at room temperature until almost
                doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Proofed cranberry-blueberry bread.

Preheat Oven    375ºF / 190ºC

Bake            Bake at 375ºF / 190ºC for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours,
                rotating the pan halfway through baking. Test for
                doneness using a wooden skewer or cake tester.

Dust with confectioner's sugar, if desired.

Blueberry-cranberry bread dusted with confectioner’s sugar.

Blueberry-cranberry bread crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Blueberry-Cranberry Bread

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Pan de leche is a Filipino sweet bread that has many regional variations. As far as I know, any yeasted bread baked with milk and sugar can be labeled pan de leche, but I have a very specific idea of what it is supposed to be like. It will be dense and feel heavy for its size. The crumb will be dry but fluffy. The glazed soft crust will have the slightest hint of chewiness. Throwing it against a wall or forehead will cause a resounding thump.

With those attributes in mind, I tried several divergent recipes before coming up with my own. I found that making pan de leche requires the most basic bread baking techniques — pre-ferments, wild yeast starters, and soakers are unnecessary and the dough should be firm and easy to handle. It should take only a few hours of fermentation, some pantry staples, a sheet pan, and a hot oven.

The simplicity of my pan de leche recipe means that it is average bread at best. To put it bluntly, most of the other breads I’ve baked, where slow fermentation spread over a few days fully develops the flavor of the resulting loaf, will taste better.

But this is exactly how I remember it, a close approximation of a childhood favorite. After several attempts, I think I finally nailed it.

World Bread Day hosted by Zorra of 1x Umruhren Bite

Pan de Leche
Filipino Sweet Milk Bread Rolls

makes 9 pan de leche rolls

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour                 3 cups         13.5          383
whole milk                      1/2 cup           4            113
butter, melted                  1/2 cup           4            113
granulated sugar                1/4 cup           1.75          50
kosher salt                       2 tsp
instant yeast                     1 tbsp
large eggs                        2

For the Egg Wash:

1 egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar

Equipment:

1 half-sheet pan lined with parchment paper

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients until evenly incorporated.

Knead           10 to 12 minutes

Bulk Ferment    2 hours at room temperature in a lightly oiled bowl

Divide          9 pieces, about 85 grams / 3 ounces each

Rest            15 minutes

Shape           oval dinner rolls

Final Proof     60 to 90 minutes at room temperature while uncovered,
                until almost doubled in size. Let a skin form on the
                rolls.

Proofed Filipino pan de leche rolls.

Preheat Oven    375ºF/190ºC

Glaze           glaze with the egg wash

Score           2 slashes (optional) 

Glazed and scored Filipino pan de leche rolls.

Bake            Bake at 375ºF/190ºC for about 18 to 22 minutes, rotating
                the pan halfway through baking if necessary

Cool            At least 15 minutes

Say cheese.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pan de Leche – Filipino Sweet Bread Rolls

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Pumpkin puree and its familiar spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger are kneaded into buttery dough in this seasonal take on the classic brioche. This recipe makes so much sense to me – winter squashes simply roasted with butter is always comforting when in season . These soft yellow puffs topped with crunchy pumpkin seeds have a bit more to offer than its oven-roasted cousin but it took a bit of deciphering to get started.

This pumpkin brioche recipe was derived from a rocket scientist-friendly formula posted in the San Francisco Baking Institute website. Converting every single decimal into manageable measurements was mind-numbing tediousness but the effort was thankfully worth it. I’ll make this again whether pumpkins are in season or not, thanks to the magic of canning.

Here’s to hoping that I’m not the only geek who bakes with a laptop and spreadsheet in the kitchen instead of measuring cups.

recipe adapted from The San Francisco Baking Institute
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Pumpkin Spice Brioche Rolls

makes 24 individual brioche rolls

Nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves for grinding.

For the Sponge (Pre-fermented Dough):

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour                       1 cup           4.4          124
water, at room temperature      1/3 cup           2.6           74
instant yeast                 pinch

Mix the sponge ingredients until evenly distributed and place in a covered bowl.

Let stand at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours before using in the final dough.

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the sponge (pre-fermented dough)
bread flour                       3 cups         13.9          394
milk                              4 tsp            .7           20
large whole eggs                  1
large egg yolks                   2
instant yeast                     2 tsp
unsweetened pumpkin puree     1 1/4 cups         10.5          298
cinnamon, ground                1/2 tsp
nutmeg, ground                  2/3 tsp
ginger, dried ground            1/4 tsp
cloves, ground                  1/4 tsp
sugar                             3 tbsp          1.4           40
honey                             2 tbsp          1.4           40
butter, softened                 10 tbsp          4.9          139

Glaze and Toppings:

egg wash
toasted pumpkin seeds or pearl sugar / crushed sugar cubes

Equipment:

2 half sheet pans lined with parchment paper

Final Dough Instructions:

Reserve half of the pumpkin puree and butter. It will be added
towards the end of kneading. Adding all of the pumpkin puree and
butter at the beginning will inhibit gluten development.

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients (except the reserved
                pumpkin puree and butter) until evenly incorporated

Knead           8 to 10 minutes

Mix             Add the rest of the pumpkin puree and butter

Knead           4 to 6 minutes (the dough will be very sticky)

Ferment #1      45 minutes at room temperature

Stretch and Fold

Ferment #2      45 minutes at room temperature

Divide          24 pieces, approximately 2 ounces/56 grams each

Rest            15 minutes at room temperature

Shape           round rolls

Glaze and Top   Glaze with the egg wash and sprinkle the tops with
                pumpkin seeds or pearl sugar

Final Proof     90 minutes at room temperature on 2 half sheet pans
                lined with parchment (12 rolls on each pan)

Preheat Oven    380ºF/193ºC

Bake            Bake for 15 minutes at 380ºF/193ºC, rotating
                the sheet pans halfway through baking if necessary.

Pumpkin Spice Brioche crumb.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pumpkin Spice Brioche

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5. Ensaimada – Filipino Cheese Brioche
6. Applesauce Spice Cake

In this, our next installment of watch the Filipino cook and bake things he can’t even pronounce, we visit the province of Friesland in the Netherlands, home of fine cows, gallant horses, and the regional specialty bread called sûkerbôlle. Based on an old Frisian cookbook, this sugar bread loaf is lightly scented with cinnamon and ginger. The crunchy bits of half-melted pearl sugar embedded in the impossibly fluffy interior make sûkerbôlle surprisingly addictive.

Dutch cheeses, pannenkoeken, and a few treats by way of Indonesia define my limited knowledge of foods from the Netherlands. My introduction to the Dutch baking traditions through sûkerbôlle left a decidedly positive impression and I hope to learn more about it.

Bread Baking Buddies: Sûkerbôlle / Suikerbrood – Frisian Sugar Bread
hosted by Monique of Living on Bread and Water

Sûkerbôlle / Suikerbrood
Frisian Sugar Bread

makes two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaves

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all-purpose flour                 4 cups         17.65         500
milk, room temperature          155 ml
eggs                              2
ginger syrup                      3 tbsp
unsalted butter, melted       5 1/4 tbsp          2.65          75
instant yeast                 2 1/2 tsp            .3            8
kosher salt                       1 tbsp           .375         10

ground cinnamon                   1 tsp
pearl sugar                       1 cup           5.3          150

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients except the ground cinnamon
                and pearl sugar until evenly incorporated.

Knead           8 to 10 minutes

Bulk Ferment    2 hours at room temperature

Divide          2 pieces

Rest            15 minutes

Shape           Stretch into a rectangular shape and sprinkle with
                the pearl sugar and ground cinnamon. Roll and shape
                into rectangular loaves, about 8 inches long.

Stretch into a rectangle

Top with the sugar and ground cinnamon.

Roll tightly beginning from the short edge of the rectangle.

Proof in a greased and floured 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.

Preheat Oven    400ºF/205ºC

Final Proof     45 to 60 minutes at room temperature, or until
                almost doubled in size

Proofed sûkerbôlle. Looks almost doubled to me.

Bake            Bake for 30 minutes at 400ºF/205ºC, rotating the
                loaves after 15 minutes if necessary.

Cool            At least 30 minutes

Freshly baked sûkerbôlle.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Sûkerbôlle / Suikerbrood – Frisian Sugar Bread

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2. Five-Grain Walnut Bread
3. Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread – 100% Whole Wheat
4. Pumpkin Spice Brioche
5. Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
6. Cranberry-Walnut Bread

What can you do to make buttery brioche buns better? Why, soak it in vanilla-infused cream and milk, of course. Adding fresh antioxidant-rich blueberries isn’t such a bad idea as well, mainly so you can convince yourself that the resulting mess of creamy goodness is somewhat healthy.

Since this is based on a Daniel Boulud recipe, I felt like showing this amateur how it’s supposed to be done. I added my own twist to his instructions and put a bit more (way too much?) effort into the presentation. I also added contrasting warm and cool elements as well as crisp and creamy textures to make the brioche bread pudding light and decadent at the same time.

Alright then.

This is why late afternoon trips to Starbucks should be avoided, kids.

recipe adapted from Daniel Boulud
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Blueberry Mint Brioche Pudding

makes 8 servings

8 mint brioche rolls

1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or a few drops of vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet (7 grams) unflavored gelatin
8 ounces fresh blueberries

1 sprig of mint for garnishing (optional)

Notes:

• The ingredients and instructions for this recipe are tweaked specifically for mint brioche rolls baked in a muffin pan or fluted brioche pans. The original recipe uses larger brioche loaves and calls for the addition of mint to the vanilla bean, milk, and cream mixture.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. In a small saucepan, combine the milk, cream, vanilla, and lemon zest to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and gelatin until thoroughly incorporated. Let cool for a few minutes. Strain the mixture to remove the mint and vanilla bean.

Go medieval on the petites brioches à tête and cut the tops off. Reserve the brioche tops. Using a melon baller or a small spoon, scoop out the inside of the brioche rolls, leaving a 1/4 inch thick crust on the sides and bottom.

Replace the hollow brioche in the pan used to bake it. Fill the brioche cups with blueberries and fill to the top with the warm cream mixture. Let the cream mixture soak into the bread for a few minutes and fill to the top again.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 325ºF. Let the pudding cool in the pan to set, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Do not remove the pudding from the pan until thoroughly chilled.

To Serve:

Toast the brioche tops until crisp and completely warmed through. Gently remove the chilled bread pudding from the pan and plate. Garnish with mint leaves and replace the toasted brioche tops.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Blueberry Mint Brioche Pudding

Similar Posts:

1. Poilâne’s Mint Brioche
2. Blueberry-Cranberry Bread
3. Suji Halwa – Indian Semolina and Raisin Pudding
4. Pumpkin Spice Brioche
5. Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël
6. Ensaimada – Filipino Cheese Brioche