Qu’ils mangent de la brioche

Wikipedia:

Brioche is a highly enriched French bread, whose high egg and butter content give it what is seen as a rich and tender crumb. It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust from an egg wash applied before and after proofing. Proofing is the period in which dough rises due to yeast fermentation.

The word comes from Old Norman French verb « brier » (an old form of « broyer ») then used in the sense of « to, knead dough with a wooden roller» The word brioche first appeared in print in 1404, and this bread is believed to have sprung from a traditional Norman recipe. It is argued that brioche is probably of a Roman origin, since a very similar sort of sweet holiday bread is made in Romania ("sărălie"). The cooking method and tradition of using it during big holidays resembles the culture surrounding the brioche so much that it is difficult to doubt same origin of both foods.

Despite its origin in France the brioche is considered a viennoiserie. Other examples include croissants, Vienna bread and its French version the baguette viennoise, pain au chocolat, pain au lait, pain aux raisins, chouquettes, Danish pastries, bugnes, and chausson aux pommes.

It is made in the same basic way as bread, but has the richer aspect of a pastry because of the extra addition of eggs, butter, milk, and occassionally a bit of sugar. Brioche, along with pain au lait and pain aux raisins — which are commonly eaten at breakfast or as a snack — form a leavened subgroup of viennoiserie. Brioche is often cooked with fruit or chocolate chips and served as a pastry or as the basis of a dessert with many local variations in added ingredients, fillings or toppings. Less rich versions of brioche are sometimes used in savoury meat dishes; most commonly stuffed with foie gras.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in his autobiography Confessions (published posthumously in 1782, but completed in 1769), relates that "a great princess" is said to have advised, with regard to peasants who had no bread, "Qu’ils mangent de la brioche", commonly inaccurately translated as "Let them eat cake". This saying is commonly mis-attributed to Queen Marie-Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI.

Baby Chocolate Brioche

via Apartment Therapy
Adapted from At Home In Provence by Patricia Wells

Makes 12 rolls

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons lavender honey (or other fragrant honey)
  
• 250 ml (8 fl oz) lukewarm whole milk (about 105 degrees)
  
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• About 1 1/4 pounds flour
• 90 g (3 oz) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Lindt Excellence, divided into 12 portions

For the glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Note: Because I don't have an electric mixer, I make this recipe by hand. I actually prefer it that way, because I think it makes it easier to get the amount of flour correct, but do as you please.

1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast, honey and milk, and stir to blend. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil, eggs and salt.

2. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing at low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed and the dough forms a ball. Be careful at this step not to add too much flour, it is better to have a dough that is a little too sticky than too dry. Continue to knead the dough until soft and satiny but still firm, 4 to 5 minutes, adding additional flour to keep the dough from sticking.

3. Cover the bowl that you have mixed the dough in tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the dough rise until doubled or tripled in bulk, 8 to 12 hours. (The dough can be kept for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Simply punch down the dough as it doubles or triples.)

4. About an hour before you plan to bake the rolls, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 even portions, each weighing about 90g (3 oz). With the palm of your hand, flatten each portion into a disc. Press a piece of chocolate into each portion of dough and shape into a neat round, pulling the dough around itself to form a tight ball so that the chocolate is completely covered with the dough. Place the portions of dough on a baking sheet, cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

6. Prepare the glaze: Place the egg yolk in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add the milk and sugar and whisk together. Remove the towel and brush each piece of dough with the glaze. Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake until the rolls are a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the baking sheet from time to time if the oven is heating unevenly. Some chocolate may seep from the rolls, which is normal.

7. Remove the rolls from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This step is very important if you intend to avoid a scorched tongue. If stored in a sealed plastic bag, the brioche will keep for 2 to 3 days. Simply reheat in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes to freshen.

Personal Notes: Warm the milk to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep dough in warm place while rising. Bake for only fifteen minutes.