One of the happiest memories of my childhood is making bread with my grandmother. She baked often in her busy farm-style kitchen, and had virtually unlimited patience for little hands helping with the day’s culinary activities. Maybe because of this I started baking this bread in the days after Julia was born, and I’ve made it regularly since. (It’s now one of her favorite things to eat.)
If you’ve never baked bread before, this elegant and unusual brioche is an excellent place to start. Its glossy golden brown crust houses a dense but tender white body with the mood-altering aroma of oranges, orange flowers and lemons. It’s not a bit sweet, though, and the use of olive oil in place of butter makes this traditional Provencal bread much lighter (and more healthful) than traditional brioche.
It’s also a very simple and forgiving recipe. The dough comes together without fuss, can be kept for two to three days in the refrigerator before baking, and reliably bakes to perfection without any special tools or techniques. As with all yeast breads, the only catch is the need to plan ahead: you’ll need to allow eight to 12 hours for the first rise and an hour or so for the second. I usually mix the dough in the morning and bake just before bedtime so we can have fresh brioche for breakfast. Of course, early risers could mix before bed and bake early in the morning, but my internal clock and toddler wrangling duties don’t really lend themselves to that schedule.
Another advantage of this bread is that it keeps well for several days, so the fruits of your labor won’t quickly go stale. And it makes the best toast you’ve ever eaten for up to a week. (The scent of oranges and orange blossoms as it toasts is a powerful form of aromatherapy.)
I can’t wait until Julia’s old enough to help.
Recipe
(adapted from Pompe a l’Huile: Provencal Olive Oil Brioche in Patricia Wells at Home in Provence by Patricia Wells)
Ingredients
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup lukewarm water (about 105F)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange flower water (optional) or tap water (Orange flower water is available at supermarkets with good baking sections, good liquor stores, Middle Eastern markets and online at amazon.com and The Spice House.)
about 5 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 beaten egg for glazing
Instructions
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the yeast, water and sugar and mix. Let stand until a foam appears on the surface of the liquid, about 5 minutes. (If the foam does not appear, discard the bowl’s contents and start again.) Note: if you don’t have a standing mixer, you can make this bread like my grandmother did, with just a large bowl, clean hands and strong arms.
2. Add the olive oil, 2 eggs, salt, zests and orange flower water (or water) and stir to blend.
3. Add the flour a little at a time, mixing at the lowest speed until most of the flour has been absorbed and the dough forms a ragged ball.
4. At this point, change the paddle to the dough hook, if you have one. If not, transfer the dough to a floured board. Either way, kneed for 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth and satiny, adding a little flour as necessary to prevent sticking. (You may have a little flour left over.)
5. Transfer the dough to lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the dough has doubled or tripled in bulk, which will take 8-12 hours. (You can keep the dough in the refrigerator for 2-3 days — just punch it down every time it doubles or triples.)
6. About an hour before you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and punch it down. Roll it into a thick snake and then wrap it around a coffee cup or glass to form a ring on a nonstick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Cover with dish towel and let it rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 400F. After the dough has risen for the second time. remove the coffee cup or glass and brush the dough with the beaten egg. Bake in the center of the oven until it is a deep golden brown, about 30 minutes. (If you notice the bread browning unevenly, rotate the baking sheet during baking.) Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a rack.
Serve plan or buttered, warm or cooled. The brioche will keep for several days in a plastic bag. Toasted with jam, it’s a little slice of heaven.
