Home made Brioche

(Bex, our first guest blogger!)

It’s not very often that you buy something that changes your life. Well my life has changed since I invested in a Kitchen Aid Artisan mixer, my waistline has unfortunately also changed, and it seems to be expanding due to the increased level of baking taking place!

You can literally do anything with a Kitchen Aid (cooking wise), Mr Partridge is now a regular bread maker and fresh pasta has become a weekly event rather than the odd delicious occasion as the Kitchen Aid takes all the hard work out of marking things that require kneading.

My latest discovery is homemade Brioche. I love indulging in a slice of Brioche, but consumption is normally reserved for when I'm out for brunch or happen to pass by a French bakery. Not anymore, I can whizz up a loaf in a little under half an hour prep time. The beauty of Brioche is that you have to be patient, firstly when the butter is added bit by bit, then during both proving occasions and finally having to leave it over night in the fridge before baking fresh the next morning. I'm sure the waiting makes it even more enjoyable!

Here is the best brunch recipe using Brioche that I have come across yet. Beautiful during the winter months, or in the summer substitute the plums for fresh mixed berries, topped with natural yoghurt.

Cinnamon Pain Perdu (that's French toast to you and me) with vanilla poached plums

Serves 4

Prep time 20 mins

cooking time 15 mins

200ml pomegranate juice

1 vanilla pod, split

50g unrefined cast sugar

6 ripe plums

50ml double cream (or using milk is fine if you're watching the calories)

2 brown eggs

8 thick slices of day old brioche

50g unsalted butter

75g unrefined caster sugar mixed with 1tbps ground cinnamon

greek yoghurt to serve

Place the pomegranate juice, vanilla pod and 50g of the sugar in a medium pan and slowly bring to simmering point, allowing the sugar to dissolve

Add the plums and bring back up to a simmer and gently poach for 5 minutes

remove the pan from the heat and allow the plums to cool and stand, preferably overnight

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cream/milk and eggs. Dip the brioche slices into the mixture and soak for 30 seconds on each side. 

Over a medium heat, melt half of the butter in a large nonstick frying pan, gently fry the dipped brioche in batches for 2 minutes on each side, until golden, adding the other half of the butter as needed. Tip the cinnamon sugar on to a plate and toss each cooked pain perdu (french toast) in the cinnamon sugar to coat.

Serve immediately with the poached plums and greek yoghurt. Enjoy!

Recipe from Red Magazine UK, April 2012 edition