Thursday, November 12, 2009

Pumpkin Pie Brioche


I am so excited about the first recipe I made from the new book by Zoe Francois and Jeff Hertzberg called - Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day! I have loved everything I have tried from their first book Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day, which really changed the way I bake bread on a regular basis.

The first essential ingredients:


My pumpkin brioche as it goes into the oven...


...and isn't it a beauty when it comes out!



We savored a few slices with butter while it was warm but the next morning, it made the most delicious French toast I have ever tasted!


Pumpkin Pie Brioche French Bread

1 Serving

2 slices of Pumpkin Pie Brioche
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Butter for saute pan
Maple syrup

Preheat a heavy gauge frying pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter.

In a container large enough to hold brioche slices, whisk egg, water and cinnamon together until combined.

Dip slices of pumpkin brioche into the egg mixture and coat each side thoroughly.

When the saute pan is heated and butter is sizzling, add the egg-dipped brioche slices and fry until the bread is golden brown on each side.

Serve with butter and pure maple syrup.

Heaven!

Pumpkin Pie Brioche


Adapted from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes enough dough for at least two 2-pound loaves. The recipe is easily doubled or halved. Use any leftover dough to make muffins, crescent rolls, or pinwheels.

3 cups white whole wheat flour
4 1/2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast, or 2 packets
1 tablespoon kosher salt (increase or decrease to taste)
2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
4 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
3/4 cup neutral-flavored oil, or unsalted butter, melted, or zero trans fat, zero hydrogenated oil margarine, melted
One large pie (or "sugar") pumpkin to yield 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree, or use one 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water) for brushing on the top crust
Raw sugar for sprinkling on top

Preparations for Pumpkin Pie Brioche
If making your own fresh pumpkin puree:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Split the pumpkin in half, starting at the stem, and place it cut side down on a lightly greased cookie sheet or one lined with a silicone mat. Bake for about 45 minutes. The pumpkin should be very soft all the way through when poked with a knife. Cool slightly before scooping out the seeds.

Scoop out the roasted flesh of the pumpkin and puree it in the food processor. Set aside 1 3/4 cups for the dough and use any leftover in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.

Mixing and storing the dough:

Whisk together the flours, yeast, salt, vital wheat gluten, and spices in a 5- quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

Combine the liquid ingredients with the pumpkin puree and mix them with the dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, a 14-cup food processor (with dough attachment), or a heavy-duty stand mixer (with paddle). You might need to use wet hands to get the last bit of flour to incorporate if you're not using a machine.

The dough will be loose, but it will firm up when chilled. Don't try to use it without chilling for at least 2 hours. You may notice lumps in the dough, but they will disappear in your finished products.

Cover (not airtight), and allow the dough to rest at room temperature until it rises and collapses (or flattens on top), approximately 2 hours.

Refrigerate the dough in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Beyond that, the dough stores well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Freeze it in 2-pound portions. When using frozen dough, thaw it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before use, then allow the usual rest/rise times.

Baking Instructions for Pumpkin Pie Brioche

On baking day, grease a brioche pan or an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch nonstick loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 2-pound (cantaloupe-size) piece of dough. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball. Place the ball in the prepared pan and allow to rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour 45 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, with a rack placed in the center of the oven. If you're not using a stone in the oven, a 5-minute preheat is adequate.

Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint the loaf's top with egg wash, and then sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake near the center of the oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes. Brioche will not form a hard, crackling crust. The loaf is done when it is medium brown and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in resting and baking time.

Remove the brioche from the pan and allow it to cool on a rack before slicing or eating.

My notes on making the brioche...
~After reading some reviews of the recipe, I doubled all the spices! I'm so glad I did.
~I used canned pumpkin puree
~I used canola oil rather than melted butter

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I also thought I'd share my source for covered containers that I use to mix and store my dough and flours. I found them at my local hardware store in the paint department for approximately $3.00 each. The lids are sold separately for about $.25.

44 comments:

  1. Ah, this is gorgeous! We love artisan breads. I am going to find more of your recipes.
    I am going to enjoy making your bread recipes.
    Thanks!

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  2. It is gorgeous Susan!

    I've been reading the book and can't wait to begin baking from it.

    Thank you for the tip about increasing the spices, I'll make a note of that.

    Sweet hugs to baby Mack, too. xo

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  3. It's almost too pretty to eat:)
    Joyce

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  4. Susan, how pretty on that red pedestal!

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  5. Susan - if it tastes as good as it looks..WOW!!!
    Using it for French Toast looks delicious..what a way to start the morning.
    Love the pan you used..and it looks regal sitting on the red cake plate!!

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  6. This looks lovely! And thank you for the pic of the vital wheat gluten - I've been looking for it (when I think of it!) at the store and never really knew what to look for. . . now I know!

    Best,
    Sarah

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  7. Oh my! That broiche is so gorgeous I would have hated to cut into it! But then I saw your photo of French toast. That did me in. I shouldn't look at things like this before I've had breakfast!
    Yummy, Susan.

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  8. I love to bake, usually cakes though never bread.
    I an't get the same ingredients here in France as you use but I shall be following along & maybe I'll be able to substitute ingredients now and again.
    Thanks for visiting me in Normandy.
    a bientot
    Maggie

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  9. It is a work of art! Good for you for joining the group!!

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  10. Susan, what a stunning bread ... it's drop-dead gorgeous (and that is not an adjective that I usually use to describe bread). It sounds delicious and perfect for the season. I have all the ingredients on hand even the Hodgson Mill wheat gluten but don't have a brioche pan. Not as pretty, but I imagine another style would work. ... I can definitely imagine it's wonderful taste as French toast with a quality maple syrup.

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  11. What a gorgeous loaf of bread. I also love the French toast you made with it. A most satisfying post :-).

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  12. Stunning. Absolutely stunning!!
    Bravo to you.

    :)
    ButterYum

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  13. Susan, I love Brioche! And that pumpkin version is as gorgeous —not to mention, mouthwatering— as the pumpkin brioche french toast.

    You know, I hate it when I see food that makes my mouth water, and all that's in my kitchen is a gallon of milk and a box of Graham crackers. It's just not the same.

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  14. wow che meraviglia!!! standing ovation!! ciaooooooooooooo

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  15. Thank you so much, ladies!

    Cynthia, you can use a loaf pan too, which is what I used to bake the rest of the dough.

    Marysol, time to go grocery shopping :-)

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  16. Oh my, what a beautiful loaf of bread. I'm looking forward to baking along with you.

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  17. That looks fabulously delicious!

    It sounded amazing as a brioche but you're killing me turning it into French Toast! Save some for me!

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  18. OH MY WORD what a fabulous looking loaf of bread...STUNNING! And your photography and styling is outstanding.

    Great job!!

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  19. Susan, I am putting the brioche on my list! I even have the vital wheat gluten already!

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  20. That looks wonderful..I know I would love it~

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  21. I agree with everyone else - it is a work of art...especially displayed on that fantastic red pedestal! I know I would love it and the french toast looks so good as well. Your photos are always so fabulous!

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  22. Your dough looks gorgeous! Love the layout of your blog. I'm going to be redoing mine and you've inspired me.

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  23. OMGosh, your bread is fabulious! My brioche wants to be like your brioche when it grows up! I'm off to the hardware store to look for some buckets. Thanks for the tip.

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  24. The french toast looks beyond yummy.

    Very clever to use the paint buckets. My only question/concern is whether they are made from food grade plastic. I'm guessing not. I don't know why, but I shy away from plastics. I only resort to my 'tupperware' as a last resort. I know if you don't cook in the plastic (in the microwave), it's not supposed to matter, but the dough sits in the container for quite some time. Do you have any concerns about this?

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  25. What a beautiful shape! That's a nice pan to have... you can bake a giant cupcake in it I would think. Anyway gorgeous bread and photos!

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  26. Oh my I love that mold that you used, so decorative! I can't wait to make the French toast from this bread. I'm sure it will be amazing.

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  27. Love your big brioche mold - so pretty! I love that both you and Michelle chose to make french toast. It certainly sounds and looks like a wonderful way to enjoy this bread. Great job!!

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  28. Oh, I love your mold! Your bread is beautiful and the french toast sound awesome :D

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  29. Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful! I have a brioche mold. Why didn't I think to use it. Great job!

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  30. Gorgeous! I don't know how else to describe it. Now I'll have to not only ask for the HBin5 cookbook for christmas, but I think I need one of those molds!

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  31. Beautiful! What more needs to be said? :-)

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  32. I really appreciate sharing the recipe! I will definitely try.

    I have these pans but I had no idea what to make--now I do, thanks to you!

    Love your cake stand btw...and of course, the goody looks sooo delish.

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  33. The bread turned out so pretty in that pan. I think I'm going to slice up the rest of my loaf and make some French bread as I've seen it posted several times and it looks delish! I'm also going to copy down your recipe for the chocolate shortbread below also. Hubby is a big shortbread and chocolate fan--so I'll surprise him with a little treat sometime.
    ~Jenny~

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  34. I hope your bread taste as yummy as it looked! I can do this with your help!

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  35. Gorgoeous! And thanks for the paint store container tip; I'm definitely stealing that one!

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  36. Beautiful loaf! Thanks for the tips.

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  37. I need to get crackin on this task. I joined the group but haven't had time to really focus. I should give this one a go today though. I even have a little pumpkin to start from scratch. Yours came out beautiful and the french toast was taking it a delicious step further. Great inspiration Susan! I need to get some containers like that. I currently use my tupperware bowls but hate having them tied up with the dough.

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  38. Wow, that brioche looks beautiful! I need to try this immediately - thanks!

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  39. looks amazing...and I love that brioche pan...this is a bookmarked recipe I'm going to try soon!

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