As our friend Betsy says, “you have to make this”. A few of you have emailed me asking for a post on the truffle-inspired brioche I used for that killer grilled cheese last week. Your emails provoked me to make another batch over the weekend; after all, I have to make sure the recipe for Truffled Brioche was perfect of you. Let me start off by saying that Dorie Greenspan’s brioche recipe is an absolute dream to work with, both this version, as well as the traditional one. I am always complaining about the price of bread at the market, and after making twice in two weeks, I have a feeling it will become a regular habit.
Let’s talk about this bread, and how it is delightful and slightly sinful. I used truffle oil along with a few shavings of fresh truffle this time, and it worked out perfectly. Lightly perfumed, with a subtly woodsy taste.
We have only devoured one loaf, and we enjoyed it simply toasted with a smear of homemade butter that we had leftover from a dinner party, served alongside fluffy scrambled eggs. While we were enjoying, we envisioned that the bread would also be great served with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce (killer Christmas breakfast idea). Or topped with prosciutto and brie cheese before slightly melting under the broiler. How would you enjoy a slice or two of this bread?
More delicious recipes using truffles or truffle-infused products:
Grilled Prosciutto and Truffle Pizza
Truffled Brioche
Buttery brioche bread if lightly scented with fresh truffles as well as truffle oil.
Ingredients
- 2 packets active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch water
- 1/3 cup just-warm-to-the-touch milk (whole)
- 3 3/4 cups ap flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature but still slightly firm
- 3 teaspoons white truffle oil
- 2 teaspoons minced truffle shavings
- Glaze
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Put the yeast, water, and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved.
Add the flour and salt, and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can - this will save you and the kitchen from being showered in flour.
Turn the mixer on and off in a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour, then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened. At this point, you will have a fairly dry, shaggy mass.
Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and the eggs, followed by the sugar and the truffle shavings.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2 tablespoon size chunks, along with the truffle oil, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You will have a dough that is very soft, almost like a batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
Lightly butter another bowl and transfer the dough to it, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 40 - 60 minutes, depending on how warm your room is.
Deflate the dough by lifting it up and around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the covered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
The next day, butter and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
Pull the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cut each piece of dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3 1/2 inches long. Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan. Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until the dough almost fills the pans, 1 to 2 hours.
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400.
Beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash.
Bake the loaves until they are well risen and deeply golden, 30 - 35 minutes.
Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto the racks.
Cool for at least an hour before slicing.
Serve.
Eat.
Notes
The brioche dough needs to be made 1 day ahead and then shaped and baked the next day.
** Disclaimer Gourmet Attitude supplied us with truffle products to create this pairing but did not require us to write about it. This write-up and all opinions belong to us.
Alicia
Tuesday 15th of October 2019
What do you mean my Glaze? also. Invert again and cool for at least an hour. ?
Denise Woodward
Wednesday 30th of October 2019
Hello Alicia - the glaze is the egg and water mixture. Sorry about how long to cool for - it is an hour before slicing.
Betsy @ Desserts Required
Monday 15th of December 2014
No doubt about it....I HAVE TO MAKE THIS!! Thank you for including my favorite go-to words for this delicious post. I wish I had a slice right now, warmed and slathered with homemade butter.