Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (42 page)

3)
Glazing and clipping

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water in a small bowl

A pastry brush

A pair of sharp-pointed scissors

Just before baking, paint surface with beaten egg, being sure not to glaze where the head joins the main body of the
brioche
as this could glue the two together and prevent the head from rising. In a moment, glaze with a second coat.

4)
Baking, cooling, and storing—oven at 475 degrees, then 350; baking time: 40 to 50 minutes

Place the mold with the risen, glazed, and clipped
brioche
on a baking sheet in the middle or lower-middle level of the preheated 475-degree oven. In 15 to 20
minutes, when the
brioche
has risen and started to brown lightly, turn thermostat down to 350 degrees. Total baking time will be 40 to 50 minutes;
brioche
is done when it has begun to show a very faint line of shrinkage from the mold, or when a knife or straw plunged down through the center comes out clean. If, during baking,
brioche
seems to be browning too much, cover loosely with heavy brown paper or foil.

Cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Brioches
may be eaten slightly warm or cool; cold
brioches
may be warmed for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

(*)
Brioches
dry out and become stale almost within 12 hours of baking. To preserve their freshness, wrap airtight and freeze; large frozen
brioches
take about half an hour to thaw in a 350-degree oven.

VARIATIONS

Petites Brioches à Tête

[Small Individual
Brioches
with Ball-shaped Heads]

Choose either ½-cup, slant-sided fluted molds for small
brioches
, or baking cups or muffin tins. Form in the same way as large
brioches
, filling the molds half full and letting dough rise to almost double. Paint twice with egg glaze and clip under the heads in several places just before baking. Bake about 15 minutes at 475 degrees in middle level of oven.

The
brioche
dough, chilled

A baking sheet

Optional: an ovenproof bowl or cup

Knead the chilled dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface.

Make a hole in the center with your finger, twirling dough around your finger to enlarge the hole and inserting more fingers as the hole gets bigger
.