Brioche. — I suppose the very name of this delectable
French dainty will call up in the min-d's eye of many
who read this book that great " little" shop. An Grand
Brioche^ on the Boulevarde Poissoniere, where, on Sun-
day afternoons, scores of boys from the Lycees form
en queue with the general public, waiting the hour
when the piles of golden brioche shall be ready to ex-
change for their eager sous. But I venture to say, a
really fine brioche is rarely eaten on this side the Atlan-
tic. They being a luxury welcome to all, and especially
aromatic of Paris, I tried many times to make them,
obtaining for that purpose recipes from French friends,
and from standard French books, but never succeeded
in producing the ideal brioche until I met with Gouf-
fe's great book, the '^ Livre de Cuisine/^ after reading
which, I may here say, all secrets of the French kitchen
are laid bare ; no effort is spared to make everything
plain, from the humble pot-au-feii to the most gorgeous
monumental plat. And I would refer any one who wants
to become proficient in any French dish, to that book,
feeling sure that, in following strictly the directions,
there will be no failure. It is the one book I have met
with on the subject in which no margin is left for your
On Bread. 19
own knowledge, if you liaye it, to fill up. But to the
brioche.
PARIS JOCKEY-CLUB RECIPE FOR BRIOCHE.
Sift one pound of flour, take one fourth of it, and add
rather more than half a cake of compressed yeast, dis-
solved in half a gill of warm water, make into a sponge
with a very little more water, put it in a warm place ;
when it is double its volume take the rest of the flour,
make a hole in the center, and put in it an equal quantity
of salt and sugar, about a teaspoonful, and two tablespoon -
fuls of water to dissolve them. Three quarters of a pound
of butter and four eggs, beat well, then add another ^g'g^
beat again, and add another, and so on until seven have
been used✪ Brioche ; the paste must be soft, but not spread ; if too
firm, add another egg. Now mix this paste with the
sponge thoroughly, beating until the paste leaves the
sides of the bowl, then put it in a crock and cover ; let
it stand four hours in a warm place, then turn it out on
a board, spread it and double it four timeSy return it to
the crock, and let it rise again two hours ; repeat the
former process of doubling and spreading, and put it in
a very cold place for two hours, or until you want to use
it. Mold in any form you like, but the true brioche is
two pieces, one as large again as the other ; form the
large one into a ball, make a deep depression in the cen-
ter, on which place the smaller ball, pressing it gently
in ; cut two or three gashes round it with a sharp knife,
and bake a beautiful golden brown. These brioche are
such a luxury, and so sure to come out right, that the
trouble of making them is well worth the taking, and
for another reason : every one knows the great diflBculty
of making puff paste in summer, and a short paste is
20 Culture and Cooking.
Page 12 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1885. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Brioche. — I suppose the very name of this delectable French dainty will call up in the mind's eye of many who read this book that great " little" shop. [illustration: An Grand Brioche] on the Boulevarde Poissoniere, where, on Sunday afternoons, scores of boys from the Lycees form en queue with the general public, waiting the hour when the piles of golden brioche shall be ready to exchange for their eager sous. But I venture to say, a really fine brioche is rarely eaten on this side the Atlantic. They being a luxury welcome to all, and especially aromatic of Paris, I tried many times to make them, obtaining for that purpose recipes from French friends, and from standard French books, but never succeeded in producing the ideal brioche until I met with Gouffe's great book, the '^ Livre de Cuisine/^ after reading which, I may here say, all secrets of the French kitchen are laid bare ; no effort is spared to make everything plain, from the humble pot-au-feii to the most gorgeous monumental plat. And I would refer any one who wants to become proficient in any French dish, to that book, feeling sure that, in following strictly the directions, there will be no failure. It is the one book I have met with on the subject in which no margin is left for your
On Bread. 19
own knowledge, if you liaye it, to fill up. But to the brioche.
PARIS JOCKEY-CLUB RECIPE FOR BRIOCHE.
Sift one pound of flour, take one fourth of it, and add rather more than half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in half a gill of warm water, make into a sponge with a very little more water, put it in a warm place ; when it is double its volume take the rest of the flour, make a hole in the center, and put in it an equal quantity of salt and sugar, about a teaspoonful, and two tablespoonfuls of water to dissolve them. Three quarters of a pound of butter and four eggs, beat well, then add another egg, beat again, and add another, and so on until seven have been used ; the paste must be soft, but not spread ; if too firm, add another egg. Now mix this paste with the sponge thoroughly, beating until the paste leaves the sides of the bowl, then put it in a crock and cover ; let it stand four hours in a warm place, then turn it out on a board, spread it and double it four timeSy return it to the crock, and let it rise again two hours ; repeat the former process of doubling and spreading, and put it in a very cold place for two hours, or until you want to use it. Mold in any form you like, but the true brioche is two pieces, one as large again as the other ; form the large one into a ball, make a deep depression in the center, on which place the smaller ball, pressing it gently in ; cut two or three gashes round it with a sharp knife, and bake a beautiful golden brown. These brioche are such a luxury, and so sure to come out right, that the trouble of making them is well worth the taking, and for another reason : every one knows the great difficulty of making puff paste in summer, and a short paste is
20 Culture and Cooking.
Records on this page
Brioche