Organic Cotswold Brie Brioche

These Brioche Parisienne buns make for an interesting cheese course!

For my tasting menus I used to try and introduce people to all the amazing ingredients you can find in the Cotswolds. Once, in between dropping off frozen meals around Stow-on-the-Wold I stopped by Kirkham Farm near Upper Slaughter where they make Simon Weaver's range of cheeses. One of the workers stopped production to serve me. Interesting to see how it's made, and the volumes!

That's the great thing about the Cotswolds - you can pick ingredients up straight from the farm - always interesting to hear production stories first hand.

Here they are in action!

Brie Brioche Recipe 
You can make these plain, without the cheese. Or change the brie for chocolate chips or date & walnut. You can use fresh yeast, but I found Doves Farm instant dried yeast very easy to use and easy to keep on hand.
I got the brioche tins from a charity shop back in 2006 - charity shops are great places to find kitchen equipment bargains.
The recipe I use is from the Bread book by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno which I have modified slightly to make in my trusty Kenwood Mixer rather than making by hand. I started off making bread by hand, but then I was making so much I couldn't keep up and turned to the mixing machine for help.

Stuff
375g Strong bread flour - try Shipton Mill
2 1/2 tsp Dried yeast
2 tbsp Caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp Salt
5 eggs, beaten up
175g Unsalted butter, softened + extra to brush the brioche tins
Eggwash - either whole egg and a drop of water, or just the egg yolk with a dash of water
Organic Cotswold Brie, cut into pieces - judge the size by the size of the brioche tins

Things

1. If you're using a mixing machine with dough hook, add the flour to the bowl with the dried yeast , sugar and salt. Add the beaten eggs and mix on the slowest setting for 10 minutes to knead till the dough is soft and elastic.
2. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 - 1 1/2 hours till risen and doubled in size. Knock back, then leave for 10 minutes. 
3. Add the softened butter and mix in on slow speed. Once the butter is incorporated keep going on slow speed for 5 minutes for a second kneading, then rest for another 5 minutes. 
4. Grease 10 brioche tins (8cm diameter, 5cm deep) with the extra softened butter. 
5. Divide the dough in to 10 pieces with a pastry scraper. We're making these into cottage style buns, so then cut each of those 10 pieces into 2 so you have one large piece for the base and 1 small piece for the top - roughly 3/4 and 1/4. 
6. Roll the brioche base in your hands till round and smooth. Place in the greased brioche tin.
7. Place a piece of brie on top as the picture above and press down slightly so it stays in position. 
8. Roll the smaller brioche dough ball and sit it on top of the brie. Press down slightly so it sticks to the base. Make sure the piece of brie is covered by dough. 
9. Allow to prove for 30 minutes-ish. This depends on the heat of room the dough is in - if it's cold it takes longer, if it's a hot summer's day it will be faster. They should double in size.
10. Brush the tops with egg glaze. Place on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 oC until glossy and golden. Turn out and leave on a wire rack.

Note:  Oven temperature may vary depending on your oven. The original recipe says 220 oC. I found 200 oC worked well in my Blue Seal Turbofan oven.

For the brie brioche buns above I served them with an extra slice of brie so you've got the contrast to the baked one in the brioche. Then garnished with caramelised orange, pickled fig, pickled cherry, walnut and dried barberries (from the Turkish shop).

0

Eggs Benedict for a pre-wedding breakfast in Chepstow, Monmouthshire

"That kettle doesn't seem to be working"
"I think someone has filled it too full" She pours some water out, switches it on. It works again.
"Wow - you're a genius!"
"...I'm a mother!"

Think of a fantasy breakfast you could have served up before you set off for your wedding. Eggs Benedict has to be right up there doesn't it?!
Home Farm bacon (or ham if you prefer) and poached eggs on toasted english muffins topped off with freshly made hollandaise (see hollandaise recipe here).

I served this on Saturday for a party before they set off to their wedding.

It's a while since I served 24 people on my own. Luckily I had some help from some of the guests when it came to plating up.

"Look at those yolks!"
"Look John - that's how you poach eggs!"

Using the best eggs helps of course:

0

Smoked haddock kedgeree - just what you need for Sunday brunch!

"So what do you do the rest of the week then?" Common question lots of people ask when we're chatting as we're preparing their dinner party. I was asked it last Saturday too as I was in the middle of making beef wellingtons - it does actually make you lol inside. There is actually quite a lot of preparation behind what we do. Organising packing lists, shopping lists, prep lists, to do lists, lists of lists. And emails, quotes, accounts, VAT, the odd weekday corporate event, seemingly endless laundry.... and somewhere between that you have to do a bit of cooking - it's amazing how the week fills up from one weekend to the next :) I long to live in Hogsmeade and the food would magically appear on the table, only I don't and it doesn't. Wouldn't be any fun anyway! 

I was making this around 4am on Saturday morning - as you do - for a brunch delivery before setting off do to a hen party cookery session.

Curry rice pilaf - a variation on this recipe & using basmati rice. Add whole spices too - cloves, all spice berries, bay leaves, cardamon - whatever you've got on the shelf. I used the rice cooker.  Perfect  rice every time - it really is a life changing piece of equipment in the kitchen. 1 cup rinsed rice = 1 cup of water.

Smoked haddock poached in milk. Milk is then used to make the curry sauce that goes with it.  It's the curry sauce which makes it so delish!

Wait - something's missing. Oh yes - hard boiled eggs.

0

Chelsea buns and chelsea bun bread and butter pudding

Chelsea buns - it's what Sundays were invented for!

This was for a Sunday brunch delivery all the way back in January this year - I'd been meaning to make them for years. So easy too! Used this recipe.

Ready to prove

In the unlikely event you have some left over.... what about turning them into bread and butter pudding?

In the pot in the middle of this assiette of desserts - chelsea bun bread and butter pudding 22 January 2011, Hill House

See more bread pics on our facebook album

Related posts:

Normal bread recipe & spelt bread

Gluten free nettle soda bread

Soda bread - buttermilk vs. vinegar & water

Cinnamon, raisin and candied orange bread crown

Snail and clover shaped bread rolls

Onion knots

Thyme bread

0

Waffles with chocolate sauce and ice cream

The first waffles I had were high up near the top of Mount Teide. Better than American style pancakes? Well you decide. Similar recipe. And so many variations. I did them last week with diced strawberries mixed bit of strawberry puree as part of the brunch for the stag party....
.. although when I had suggested them I had forgotten the shape of nana's waffle pan ;)
When I saw this waffle recipe last year I remembered the waffle iron, which had been hanging in her utility room for as long as I could remember. Now in the new house it had been relegated to the garage. And I borrowed/ inherited it.

You go abroad and you see waffles being sold on the street from carts or kiosks, but waffles aren't really so popular here for some reason. Maybe it's time to put that right?

Suprisingly easy to make - just a matter of temperature - too low as I found out and they stay as flat as a crepe. Medium high heat and they cook in 1 - 2 minutes. You turn the pan round half way so they cook on both sides - great piece of equipment.

EDIT 13/8/12

As the blog I originally got this from has now been deleted this is it (luckily I printed it):

1 ¾ cups plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate soda
Pinch salt
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites beaten to stiff peak
1 ¾ cups milk
1 ½ cups melted butter or oil

1 - In a bowl stir together the flour, bicarbonate of soda & salt

2 - Beat together yolks, milk, oil and butter

3 - Stir yolk into flour mix

4 - Beat whites to stiff peaks, then fold into the batter being very careful not to overmix.

5 - Spoon into your waffle iron & cook till golden. You can get get electric waffle makers, but the old fashioned one I have (as seen above) which goes on the gas heat you need to turn over to finish the other side.

4

Dinner party cooked in the home, Broadway, Worcestershire

I had been looking forward to this one since I met with the hosts a couple of months ago to discuss details. Always good to try out new things.I had seen their house being built years ago - the Cotswold Way up to Broadway tower runs accross the field behind the house that they look out on - and it is prime dog walking territory. As kitchens go this is one awesome view from the kitchen window - certainly not one you get in restaurant/ hotel kitchens.

Canapés

Roast beef with horseradish on parmesan shortbread

Asparagus on baked new potatoes with smoked trout mousse

Japanese spoon of pea puree and grilled ham

Palmiers

Menu

Homemade thyme bread rolls

XXX

Open ravioli of cod, asparagus and mozzarella gratinated with parmesan, wild nettle pesto – fish course size

I sealed the cod on the grill pan before we left (smoke created sets off smoke alarms at venues otherwise). I topped this with mozzerlla and then could just finish it in the aga. Asparagus from Bangrove Farm between Tewkesbury and Broadway was roasted in the aga. Once cooked I then heated the lasagne sheets in the oven to melt the parmesan on top then finished with a blow torch. [they need to be on a baking mat to lift them off and if you put this under the grill it would catch fire]. The nettles I had picked between ironing tablecloths and picking up the van - busy day.

6 Hour cooked shoulder of Home Farm lamb with roasted lamb cutlet served with leek stuffed fondant potato, steamed kale, broad beans and balsamic jus

Someone's stolen the middle of my fondant potatoes!

Well it's something different with my ever popular fondant potatoes. I cut these, out, stuffed with cooked leek and replaced a small disc of the fondant potato on top. Once heated they seal up.

I had done the shoulder with roasted saddle for a wedding of 120 a couple of years ago, and thought it was time for a revival - it does make quite a special dish.

They had asked for broad beans in particular. Overall quite a very suitable spring dish.

Trio of shotglass desserts:

Lemon meringue pie

Rhubarb and rosewater jelly

Eton Mess

And then our discussion the couple of months before had turned to dessert. They had loved the look of the assiette of desserts and we discussed all the different variations before coming up with this idea together. "They won't be expecting that" the host had said.

Lemon meringue pie - Biscuit crumbs, lemon tart filling and italian meringue on top glazed with the blow torch. I had been meaning to get round to making Italian meringue for years. Couldn't believe how easy it was - will definitely be doing it again.

Rhubarb and roswater jelly - rhubarb poached with sugar. Drain poaching liquor through a jelly bag and set with gelatine. Some of the reserved rhubarb pulp went on top of the jelly.

Eton mess - Strawberries & raspberries with raspberry coulis with vanilla creme chatilly on top and crushed meringue on top of this.

Great fun to make.

Coffee, tea and homemade fudge (crumbly)

The host had asked for fudge to go with the coffee but requested a crumbly variety rather than soft version. I had always meant to get round to making tablet as well. I remember nana bringing some back from one of her WI sales and I was hooked. Used this recipe. It needs quite a bit of 'testing'. Well that was my excuse.


Well this saved sweeping and mopping the floor.......

Breakfast Delivery

Greek yogurt with apple and berry compote

Eggs Benedict - Homemade English muffins with Home Farm bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise

After a quick power nap it was back to the kitchen to bake muffins, poach Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs and make hollandaise for breakfast. There is no breakfast dish that says Sunday more than eggs benedict.

1