Brioche Helsinki – New York All Night Long
Posted: Anna February 19th, 2006 in categories Bread, France, Pastries, Recipes
Living in New York, I”?m constantly homesick for good bread. In my neighborhood bodegas, the bread is suffocated in plastic; the sweet stuff comes from Entenmann”?s and would survive a nuclear winter. A Dominican bakery that is just a few blocks from us makes fresh pastries every day – unfortunately the bakers there are rather heavy-handed with artificial flavors and food colorings. “?Artisanal”? breads are available in most gourmet markets – but that almost invariably means sourdough, which is not the flavor I look for in white bread. Besides, the entire concept of gourmet bread is just plain silly “? good bread should be available everywhere. The Greek bakeries in Astoria satisfy all my cravings and Portuguese bread can”?t be beat, but trips there involve subways, trains, or the snail-paced M60 bus.
I learned to bake yeast bread before I started grade school. Yeast-based breads take time: over the long and chilly President’s Day weekend, I finally decided to satisfy my cravings. Tartine Gourmand”?s brioche pictures inspired me to combine French brioche and kouglof techniques with my Finnish pulla heritage. This is the result:
Brioche
(makes 5)
500 g all-purpose flour
25 g baker”?s yeast or one sachet of active dry yeast
2 eggs
100 g butter (at room temperature, cut into little pieces)
1 tsp salt
65-85 g sugar
0.75 dl warm (but not too warm) milk
1 dl raisins
2 tbsp dark rum
a handful of almond slivers
one beaten egg for basting
Mix the flour and the active dry yeast. Add the warm milk,salt, sugar, and one of the eggs, mix vigorously. Add the other egg, knead for 5-10 min; then add the butter. (If you are using fresh baker’s yeast – my preference whenever available – crumble the yeast in tepid milk, then add salt, sugar, and flour.) Add a bit of flour or milk if the dough feels too dry or very runny. Knead until the dough separates from the bowl. Cover with a tea towel. If you let the dough rise overnight in the fridge, take it out to room temperature for at least 1.5 hours so that the dough reaches room temperature before you shape it. My favorite method is to fill the kitchen sink with hot tap water, put the bowl in the water (it will float): the dough will rise in 30-60 minutes. Let the raisins soak in rum in the meantime.
When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, and sprinkle it with a little extra flour to get a ball of dough that is not sticky. Roll out the dough into a rectangle “? in my minuscule Manhattan kitchen, I use a clean, lightly floured polyethylene cutting board to do this. Sprinkle the almond slivers and raisins (and possibly a bit of extra butter) on the top of the dough, and then roll up the dough in jellyroll fashion, starting from the longer side. Cut into six pieces. Butter a muffin tin (I used one that has six 9 cm / 3.5”? cups). Put five pieces into the cups; if you wish to make Parisian-shaped brioche with small heads, cut the sixth piece into fifths, shape into balls, and fuse them on top of the bigger pieces. Baste with beaten egg and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake in 175 C / 350 F for about 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm, perhaps with jam “? I ate mine with Swedish raspberry-blueberry preserves from the IKEA in New Jersey.
Bloggaaminen on minulle keskeinen tapa pit?? yll? muutakin kuin Instant Messenger -kirjoitustyyli? ?idinkielell?ni joten en viel? t?ysin luovu suomenkielisest? postaamisessa.
Amerikassa asumisen tylsi? puolia on hyv?n leiv?n puute. Toki Suomessakin hukutamme loistavan leip?perinteemme aivan liian heppoisin perustein supermarkettien muovipusseihin, mutta koska kasvoin pullantuoksuisessa kodissa uuninl?mpim?ll? Elannon h??limpulla, kunnon leip?? tulee v?lill? tuskallisen ik?v?. Hapankorppuja saa t??ll? joka marketista, mutta hyv? sekaleip? ja usein ihan tavallinen valkoinen leip?kin ovat kiven takana. Gourmetmarketit myyv?t inhottavan hapantaikinapohjaisia patonkeja – 4-5 dollaria leiv?st? joka vanhenee p?iv?ss? ei innosta. Makeat leivonnaiset ovat l?hikaupoissa ja parin korttelin p??ss? sijaitsevassa dominikaanileipomossa l?hinn? ikis?ilyv?? lajia. Suomalaiseen makuun t?ydellist? vaaleaa leip?? saa portugalilaisista leipomoista, mutta l?himm?t tiet?m?ni ovat Mineolassa Long Islandilla ja Newarkissa New Jerseyss? – eli v?h?n kuin pit?isi junailla itsens? Helsingist? Hyvink??lle jokap?iv?isen leiv?n per?ss?. Huomattavasti l?hemp?n? – silti tukkoisen bussimatkan p??ss? – sijaitsevat Astorian ihanat kreikkalaiset leipomot.
Kun nyt osui kohdalle pitk? juhlapyh?viikonloppu ja sen verran kovat pakkaset ett? tekee mieli pit?? p??ll? hehtaarikokoista jenkki-uunia (uunin k?ytt? on t??ll? suunnilleen 6 kk vuodesta tuskallinen ajatus kuumuuden ja kosteuden vuoksi), sekoittelin kesken??n Tartine Gourmandin kuvien inspiroimana briossi- and kouglof- reseptej?. Mutta koska opin pullataikinan niksit jo aivan pienen?, luisuin v?ist?m?tt? pilkuntarkoista ranskalaisresepteist? tutummille urille. Tavoittelin briosseja joita minulla oli aikoinaan tapana ostaa Stockan konditoriatiskilt?.
Briossi
(5 minibriossia)
500 g vehn?jauhoa
puolikas hiivapala
2 munaa
100 g huoneenl?mp?ist? voita pienin? palasina
1 tl suolaa
65-85 g (eli vajaa dl – 1 dl) sokeria
3/4 dl k?denl?mp?ist? maitoa1 dl rusinoita
2 rkl rommia
kourallinen mantelilastuja
munaa briossien voitelemiseen
Tee hiivataikina aivan kuin leipoisit pullaa. Anna kohota – tuplasti jos haluat parantaa briossien makua. Liota samaan aikaan rusinoita tilkassa rommia. Kaulitse kohonnut taikina nelikulmioksi – k?yt?n miniatyyrikeitti?ss?ni jauhoitettua muovista 40 x 30 cm leikkuulautaa. Ripottele taikinaneli?lle rommirusinat ja mantelilastut; rullaa kuten kanelipullat, leikkaa kuuteen osaan, laita viisi paloista voideltuun muffinpannuun. Paloittelin kuudennen pullan viiteen osaan ja py?rittelin siit? pikkuiset pallot isojen palojen p??lle j?ljitellen pariisilaisbriossien muotoa. Anna kohota viel? puoli tuntia, voitele munalla: paista 175 C:ssa 20 min tai kunnes kullanruskeita. Tarjoa l?mpimin? joko sellaisenaan tai hyv?n hillon kera – minun hilloni oli New Jerseyn IKEAsta ostettua ruotsalaista kuningatarhilloa ;)
Anna,
fantastic picture!!And I’m so glad you decided to write bilingual post (which is of course double effort I know!).By the way, I’m coming to NY in March, let me know if I should bring you some good bread from Europe:)
Definitely let me know when you hit New York. There are so many places you should visit here if you have any spare time! I’ll be in Finland for the first three weeks of March though :(
Thanks Anna,
in fact, I lived in New York for a while so I have a quite exact plan. Foodwise too, of course:)
Nice brioche-pulla, Anna!
Do you know how to make Dallas-pulla? These are really popular in Estonia, I think Fazer Bakery makes them. I have one recipe, but thought that maybe you have a more traditional one..
Pille, I *think* Fazer invented both the Dallas & Texas pullas. They’re pretty damn good though – my date had one yesterday for dessert :)
Edit: yep… it’s got Fazer all over it…
Ajankohtaista
14.6.2005 – Fazer Dallaspulla on myym?l?paiston suosituin kahvileip?
Lehdist?tiedote
14.6.2005
Jo 10 vuotta herkuttelua
Dallaspulla on k?site. Aidon ja alkuper?isen Fazer Dallaspullan maistaa ja muistaa. J?ljittelem?tt?m?n reseptin maun salaisuus on pullan p??ll? lep??v? mehev?n pehme?ll? vaniljalla verhottu rahkainen syd?n. Fazer Dallaspulla on v?hitt?iskaupan myym?l?paiston kahvileip?ykk?nen. Dallaspulla on nyt t?ytt?nyt komeat 10 vuotta.
Fazer Dallaspullalle on nyt lanseerattu Fazer Bakery “?paistopisteiden kes?kampanjan yhteydess? k?tev? kolmen pullan rasia. “?Rasia tuo helppok?ytt?isyytt? kahvileiv?n ostoon. Se on helppo napata mukaan Fazer Bakerysta, ja pullat pysyv?t siin? siistin? kotiin asti. Uusi rasia on k?tev? vied? mukana my?s tuliaisiksi”?, kuvailee Fazer Leipomoiden tuoteryhm?p??llikk? Salla Tenkanen. H?n kertoo, ett? v?hitt?iskaupan paistotuotteissa irtokahvileiv?n ostaminen painottuu aamup?iv??n ja p?iv??n. “?Iltap?iv?n asiakas hakee ostamisesta helppoutta, mukaan tarttuu helpommin pakattu tuote kuin irtotuote”?, h?n toteaa.
Dallaspulla syntyi Texaspullan sisareksi
Dallaspulla syntyi kymmenen vuotta sitten Texaspullan sisareksi. Fazer Texaspulla sai alkunsa Fazerin tuotekehitt?j?n Tapani M?k?r?isen Amerikan matkan tuliaisina. H?n oli tutustumassa pakastetuotteisiin ja matkan tuloksena syntyi cinnamon roll suomalaisittain. Tuolloin M?k?r?iselle sanottiin, ett? parempaa pullaa turskin voi toivoa en?? keksiv?ns?. Mieleen kuitenkin j?i ajatus: “?Joku pulla jossakin vaiheessa viel? tehd??n. Ja siit? tulee viel? parempi.”?
Er??n? y?n? Tapani M?k?r?inen her?si aamuy?st? mieless??n loistava idea. H?n ryhtyi heti seuraavana aamuna pullan leivontaan, ja t?st? syntyi herkullinen uutuus, Fazer Dallaspulla. On hyvin harvinaista, ett? todellinen uutuus syntyy ensimm?isell? leivonnalla. Tuotteen is? korostaakin, ettei tuotekehitys koskaan ole ollut yht? helppoa kuin se oli Dallaspullan kohdalla.
Lis?tietoja Fazer Leipomoilla antaa
Tuoteryhm?p??llikk? Salla Tenkanen
puh. 020 555 3980
[email protected]
Hi Pille
My brioche is a bit pock-marked because active dry yeast was invented to make my life harder – I always mess it up ;) No wonder so many Americans are terrified of yeast doughs. I’m all for the much simpler living, organic yeast, but it’s not easy to find here.
Have you discovered Axis of Aevil yet? She is an American expat who has rapidly become the queen of Finnish domestic baking on the Internet. (Because she lives in my neighborhood in Helsinki, her wonderful pictures of familiar streets, buildings, and street graffiti also keep my homehomesickness at check.)
Axis of Aevil did some sleuthing last year and uncovered these fun factoids and a recipe – everything is in English, too. Turns out that dallaspulla is a relatively novel invention: I first came across them at gas stations little more than ten years ago. And you won’t find them in Dallas…
If it’s the cinnamony variety you are after, fill the dough with lots and lots of butter and brown sugar. Enjoy!
Vau veli. Telepatia on tosiaan meid?n ongelma… LOL!
ZZ
Heippa Anna & Antti –
thanks for the comprehensive overview and superquick reply! The recipe I’ve got for Dallaspullat is from Tapani M?k?r?inen himself (well, via Kokkivieras 12.9.2002 & http://www.ruokala.tv), and I’ve also got a recipe for “Manteliset dallaspullat” from Pirkka-lehti, helmikuu 2004. Not sure which one I should try first. Choices, choices!
Haven’t had a chance to try Texas-pulla yet – it’s yet to conquer the Estonian market, I guess..
PS Antti – thanks for your nice words about missing my white apron picture:) I’ve suddenly become very camera-shy and decided my blog should be more about my food than myself..
Pille, if you like Dallaspulla, I’m sure a Finnish rahkapulla – or even rahkapiirakka – will blow your mind away. I’d be surprised though if you didn’t have those in Estonia already; all sour milk related food seems to originate from our beloved Eastern neighbour…
But if you’re fancying Texaspullas, I’d seriously suggest you to look towards the states! Nothing – I mean nothing – is more delicious than a sugar and butter dripping, glazed American cinnamon roll. And that is, after all, where Mr. M?k?r?inen got the idea for his Texaspulla.
If you’re heading stateside, book a room at Holiday Inn. Their breakfast buffet includes super good cinnamon rolls :)
Antti, we’ve got Dallaspulla alright – as well as many delicious “native” rahkapulla or rahkapiirakka type pastries. But I think Dallaspulla is lighter in texture and much richer in flavour, more decadent. Back home I just buy them from any supermarket that stocks Fazer products, here in Edinburgh I need to bake them myself:)