Let Them Eat Brioche

Linda over at Gluten-Free Homemaker puts a challenge out for us to tackle every month.  This month it's yeast breads.  I really like these challenges, because it can force me out of a kitchen rut.  I, for one, haven't made a yeast bread in a very long time.  Lots of quick breads and muffins, but nothing needing to rise.  When I take on a challenge, I really like to go for it, so I set out to make a loaf of Brioche.

Here's a fun fact:  the quote so often attributed to Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat cake" is wrong.  When told that her people were starving, that they had no pain (bread,) she said, "then let them eat brioche (a richer, buttery, eggy bread)" not "let them eat gateau(cake.)" 

Rapid Rise yeast is a wonder that can be mixed right into the dry ingredients and still rise when the wet ingredients are added in a bread recipe.  Unfortunately I hadn't made a yeast bread in quite some time, so the only packets I had were old, very, very old.  So old that the expiration date on them couldn't be found on any household calendar.  So I proofed the yeast(2 packets) in 1 cup of warm milk just to be sure it was still alive and kicking.  It was bubbling so I was good to go.

 I added 3eggs plus 1 egg yolk, 1/2 cup agave nectar, and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar to the mixing bowl and mixed it together with the paddle attachment.

In a separate bowl I whisked together 3/4 cup potato starch, 3/4 cup tapioca starch, 3/4 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup garfava flour, 1/4 cup + 2tbsps sorghum flour, 1 tbsp xanthan gum, and 1/2 tsp salt.

I beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients still using the paddle attachment.

I added 12 tbsps of softened butter, 1 tbsp at a time to the mixture while the mixer was on.  I then added 4 tbsp of butter that was only partially softened(left out of the frig for 20 minutes on the counter on a cold day,) 1 tbsp at a time.  The butter that isn't completely incorporated will create nice air pockets in the bread.

I transferred the dough to a greased mixing bowl, covered it in plastic and left it in a warm spot to rise.

After an hour, it will have doubled in size.  Punch it down and place it in a greased loaf pan.  You can buy brioche pans, but I don't own any one-use items.

Place the pan in a preheated 375 oven for 20-25 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 for another 20-25 minutes.  I love toasting slices up and serving with a scoop of vanilla icecream and some fresh berries for dessert.  I wish I had a pic of the sliced bread, but we ate it all.  Oops.

Thanks for popping in and baking with me.  I'm linking this up to Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesdays, and Life as Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap.