March | 2013 | MyKitchenInHalfCups

First, Kitchen of the Month: Lien from Notitie van Lien (Lien’s Notes).

You want perfection, she’s got it.

You want to learn from mistakes, I’ve got that or at least some of them, I’m sure I could mess this up and will when I bake it the next time but I will be baking this again. The above was my freeform attempt at this gateau, not what I’d call success.

Before she baked this bread, Lien was curious about all those eggs and butter in the recipe, saying “I tend to have a lot of problems with doughs like that, which have a hard time rising. So lots of eggs, really lots of eggs, lots of butter, crème fraîche….I think the amount of servings should be 6 to 8 instead 4-6.” Trust me friends, Lien did not have trouble with this one, her gateau is a work of art! You can have it as a dessert, which we did once but it goes great with coffee as breakfast which I did twice. Yes I know life is so hard when you have to eat brioche.

Gâteau À La Crème

Recipe By: Lien: adapted from Raymond Blanc “From Raymond Blanc’s Kitchen Secrets”

Serving Size: 4 (6-8)
Yield: 1 gateau and 1 loaf or in my case however you like to swing it

For the BRIOCHE DOUGH (enough dough for 4 small, 3 larger gateau or use the left over dough to make a loaf or brioche rolls)

500 grams untreated strong plain flour, (1lb 1½oz)preferably organic

{I admit I used 200 grams white whole wheat (with 300 grams bread flour to total the 500 grams) and 20 grams of ground flax and will do both again}
7 grams sea salt
3 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
7 free-range eggs, preferable organic
300 grams (10½oz) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

For the crème FILLING (makes 1/2 liter, enough for 2 small gateaux / double the recipe if you want to use all the dough for gateaux)
6 free-range egg yolks, preferably organic
50 grams caster sugar
75 grams lemon juice, juice and zest (1 1/2 lemons made the juice)
250 ml (8¾fl oz) crème fraîche
GLAZE – Admit: I totally skipped this
2 free-range egg yolks, preferably organic (1 eggyolk or 1/2 whisked egg is more than plenty)
1 TBsp caster sugar (optional)
20 g (¾ oz) butter, cut into cubes (optional)
1 TBsp nibbed sugar, to decorate

Directions:1. For the brioche dough, place the flour, salt (actually I held the salt out until I mixed in the eggs), sugar and yeast (keeping the yeast away from the salt as it will attack it and damage its ability to ferment), in an electric mixer bowl. Add the eggs and mix with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes on low power until the eggs are completely incorporated (alternatively, place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together for 5 minutes). I did use the old KitchenAid in this case and it has lived to tell the tale.2. Increase the speed of the machine or your stirring and mix for another 5 minutes until the dough comes away from the edge of the bowl. Then add the cubes of butter and continue to mix for 2-3 minutes until completely incorporated.3. Remove the bowl from the machine, if using, then cover and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to prove, then chill the dough for a further hour (it will be easier to work with). I believe next time I’ll divide the dough at this point and refrigerate half immediately for a day; making this two days for baking.4. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. (make that 180ºC or the rim gets too dark) – I baked mine at 400° F and only my escapee got to dark.5. Lightly flour a work surface and your hands. Take 300 g of the brioche dough and bring it together with the palms of your hands to form a ball, then place it on a baking tray and flatten it slightly. Starting from the middle of the dough, gently press the dough flat and spread it out to form a circle to approx 20 cm (8 in) in diameter, but leave a 2 cm (1 in) gap from the edge as this will create the rim of the tart. Be careful not to stretch the dough and try to keep the base even in thickness.

6. Cover with a clean tea towel and place the dough in the warm area for 25 minutes or until puffed up.

7. For the crème filling, mix the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice together in a large mixing bowl and gradually mix in the crème fraîche. Set aside.

8. For the glaze, brush the rim of the gateau with the egg yolk and prick the base of the dough evenly with a fork to help the even cooking and rising of the dough,sprinkle with the nibbed sugar . Pour part of the crème mixture in the middle of the dough, sprinkle with the caster sugar and dot with the butter, the rest of the filling should be poured in when the baking sheet is already in the oven, so it won’t spill and

9. bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the brioche has risen and the filling is set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then serve.

Because I’m the savory girl that I am, yes I had to bake this with a savory filling. Because my affair with spinach knows no bounds, the savory filling uses spinach. Because when I went to the market for the crème fraîche, there was quark sitting right next to it – I went into such a frenzied happy dance in the store they almost had be removed – the spinach filling has quark in it! I’ve never found quark in an American market until now.

These I did in tart pans. Like the way the dough fell into the filling here and will try for more of that next time.

Will try for less dough on the bottom and more up the sides next time.

SPINACH FILLING
8 ounces quark
1 large egg
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt & pepper
spinach, chopped

next time bacon! with the spinach! oo la la YES!
touch herb: rosemary, thyme, what’s your favorite

Lien’s original recipe is delicious lemony and rich and perfect for easter breakfast or coffee with all that butter and eggs. Don’t forget to check out the other Bread Baking Babes (links in the side bar). And we really really enjoyed the lemon! But for me, I would pick the spinach filling and good grief quark is just heavenly! I went right back to the store and got three more containers! Gorgeous!

But regardless of what you fill it with, brioche is still bread elevated to an all time high. It reheats so wonderfully crisp!

You just want MORE!

If you wanna give this one a bake too, you’re all very welcome to bake along as our Bread Baking Buddy. Bake, tell us what your thoughts are about it, blog and send it all to me (notitievanlien(at)gmail(dot)com), so I can return the favour by sending a Buddy Badge back ánd include you all in a round up of the Buddies. Deadline 29th of this month as usual. Have a great time baking and Happy Easter!

Why can’t I figure out how to get my e-mail on here … comments my kitchen at mac dot com … you know no spaces in there.

I looked up quotes on pie and like the following two, even if they did get it wrong.

Eugene Field said

“But I, when I undress me

Each night upon my knees

Will ask the Lord to bless me,

With apple pie and cheese.”

he should have asked for Spinach Pie!

And that wonderful Garfield’s author, Jim Davis, missed it to, when he said:

“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

No, Jim I’m sure the Spinach Pies would have fit the diet better.

My good friend Karen in her post about these Spinach Pies said

“Our differences make us a whole”. And I say “Our Bread Baking Buddies make our kitchen complete. We are BreadHeads”.

I do love to see how we all start with the same recipe and make it our own. I thank each and everyone of you who has baked with us once or multiple times. It is always a joy to hook you on the yeasties.

Our Buddies Make Our Kitchen Table Complete. I revise many a recipe with new options after reading our Buddies. I thank you all!

Sandie at Crumbs of Love