Anyone who follows my Facebook Page, In Food Today will notice today that I have gotten stuck in neutral on brioche recipes lately. Over the weekend it was donuts. Today, I moved on to Pumpkin Brioche recipes. Perhaps I am already being overcome with the anticipation of Thanksgiving? Well, at least it isn’t Christmas – I saw decorations in a Pier One store in New York last Friday – ugh!
Well, the best laid plans didn’t work out today and so, one thing led to another. Being that it was a good day for experimenting, I decided to work on a loaf of Pumpkin Brioche.
I looked around at sweet breads and savory, some lovely roll recipes that I will make for Thanksgiving (I always make pumpkin brioche rolls for Thanksgiving and may even make some loaves to use in my stuffing this year!), and settled on a plain loaf for today. Then, after reading through the recipe where the author commented that you really couldn’t taste the pumpkin but it made the loaf very moist, I decided to add a little hint of orange and nutmeg, just to see how it would come out. This way, I thought, the bread could straddle the sweet-savory line, just slightly – there only being 1/3 cup of sugar in the sponge. You could have it toasted with sweet butter and some jam or you could have it as a sandwich bread or with dinner. Here is what I wound up with:
going into the first rise
ORANGE AND NUTMEG-SCENTED BRIOCHE LOAVES – adapted from Culinary Concoctions from Peabody via Sherry Yard
Make the sponge:
1/4 cup whole milk
1 pinch sugar
1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup bread flour
Proof the yeast in the pinch of sugar and milk, which has been warmed to luke warm, in a measuring cup. Add the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin, sugar, and flour. Mix with a whisk and let sit, covered for 30 minutes or until the mixture begins to bubble up. Place the bowl onto the mixer and begin to make the dough.
To make the dough:
5 cups bread flour 2 tsp salt
zest of one orange
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6 eggs
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
Whisk together the flour, salt, and nutmeg. Add the flour to the pumpkin mixture with the mixer on low – at this point, using the paddle attachment. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add the orange zest and mix in. At this point change from the paddle attachment to the dough hook. Turn the mixer up to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Turn the mixer down to medium/low. Add the butter, 2 tblsp at a time, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the butter slowly, allowing it to be mixed into the dough gradually. When all the butter is incorporated, knead the dough for 5 – 6 more minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You need to watch the mixer to make sure it doesn’t gravitate off the counter. Meanwhile, butter a large bowl, using the papers from the two sticks of butter. Set aside. When the dough is finished kneading, turn it out into the buttered bowl. Turn to coat on both sides with the butter. Cover with a towel and let it rise for 2 hours, in a warm place, or until it is doubled in bulk. This is the first rise.
Punch down and knead lightly by hand. Re-butter the bowl and return the dough to the bowl. At this point, place the bowl in the refrigerator and let it rise for at least 4 hours or overnight (this is the second rise). Butter 3 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans. Remove dough from refrigerator and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, weighing it if possible. Working with one piece of dough at a time and a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle about 8-9 x 10-12. Starting on the short side, roll the dough into a loaf. You can add a filling of your choice at this time.* Use your hands (lightly floured) to form the loaf into a size that just touches all sides of the loaf pan but is not more than 1/2 way up the sides. Pinch the seams together. Place the dough seam side down into the buttered loaf pan (or a round cake pan if making rolls). Cover the dough with buttered plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. This is the third rise.
Preheat oven to 400F. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven. Brush the loaves with egg wash and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds or pignoli nuts if desired. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350F and bake for 30 minutes more for full size loaf pans ( mini loaves only need about 17 minutes more) or until the crust is golden and the internal temperature is 180F. Remove the loaves from the pan as soon as they come out of the oven. Cool on a rack before serving.
Note: If making rolls, roll them to golf ball size. Proof in paper lined muffin cups for easy baking. Bake at 350F for 29-25 minutes. * Filling options = cinnamon sugar with or without chopped nuts of your choice, you can brush soft butter over the dough before sprinkling this filling over if desired; brush orange marmalade over dough and sprinkle with nuts, or just some toasted pumpkin seeds or pignoli nuts; caraway seeds are an option also for filling and top of the loaf.
Here is a mid-second rise shot – things are looking good!
Tomorrow I will post the results. 🙂