Brioche

I am very suaku (country bumpkin), I don't remember I ever eat brioche before. I did seeing brioche served in the breakfast buffet spread in the hotel that I was staying during oversea trips but never cross my mind to pick up one and try.

When I started to curious about the taste of brioche after seeing a few bloggers blog about it, I had no luck to find it in the breakfast buffet during my previous trips . So since I can't manage to get "free" brioche to taste it and happened to see this recipe from a cook book and it sound not difficult to prepare so I went ahead to bake it.

Recipe adapted from A Step by Step guide to homemade dessert by Mary Lau. I made in a loaf, too lazy to shape into individual bun :P.

Ingredients :
300g plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp instant dried yeast
3 tbsp granulated sugar (I reduced to 2 tbsp)
6g milk powder
3 eggs (about 160g)
90g milk
100g unsalted butter
2 tsp lemon zest (I omit)
1 tbsp rum

Method :
1. Mix plain flour and salt in the mixing bowl.
2. Add instant dried yeast, sugar and milk powder.
3. Slowly pour in the beaten egg and milk into the flour.
4. Knead into soft dough.
5. Add soften butter, lemon zest and rum.
6. [First rise] Put the dough in an oiled large bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Let it raise for 30 mins until double in size.
7. [Second rise] Re-knead the dough and second rise for 30 mins.
8. [Final rise and bake] Grease the baking tin twice.
9. Shape the dough and put into the prepared baking tin and let it final raise for 15 mins.
10. Egg wash the bread and bake in pre-heated 180 degree oven for 30 mins

Verdict?
This brioche tasted tender, a bit chewy and crumby. It tasted totally bland without spread of jam, butter, peanut butter etc. Even with the generously spreading of peanut butter and butter, I personally still prefer soft white loaf. However it tasted so much better if I toasted it with butter and eat it while still hot.