Fresh Blueberry Brioche

I had originally planned to make blueberry muffins, but decided that I would make some blueberry brioche instead...it's a good thing I decided that early. Brioche is not something you can whip up in an hour. It requires an overnight rise, then about three and a half hours more in the morning. But it is worth every minute!

1/2 C warm water

1 T active dry yeast

3 T organic granulated sugar

6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

4-1/2 C all-purpose flour

1 t sea salt

8 T butter, at room temperature

splash of olive oil

1 egg mixed with 1 T heavy cream, for egg wash

Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Let bloom for 5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed, add 2 C of the flour and the salt and mix for 5 minutes. With the mixer still on low, add the remainder of the flour and mix for 5 more minutes. Scrape the dough into a large oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. I don't have any brioche tins, so I opted to use a muffin baking dish. Butter the hollows of a muffin baking stone. Set aside.

Add the softened butter in chunks, and mix for 2 minutes. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide the dough into balls. Flatten the balls, slightly, placing five fresh blueberries on the disc. Fold up the edges to enclose the blueberries inside a dough ball and place them in the hollows. Cover the dish with a damp towel and set aside to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. When the rolls have risen, brush the top of each with the egg wash, sprinkle with some more granulated sugar, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops spring back. Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool.

 

I am sharing this with girlichef's July's BYOB event...