Cooking with... ...Cindy Hawkins of Circle City Sweets
BRIOCHE
WRITTEN BY CINDY HAWKINS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER TALLMAN
B
rioche is a French enriched bread, meaning it has a large quantity of egg and butter compared to most other breads, which contain neither. It is also made with a small amount of sugar as well as milk or cream. Brioche can be eaten as a snack on its own, but is also often used in bread pudding and French toast because it holds up so well when used in these preparations. The key to making brioche is working in a cool environment. If your kitchen is too warm, the butter will melt and your bread will not end up with the correct texture. Brioche is often seen in a loaf or as a roll. The fun thing with brioche is that it can be so versatile. Add some chocolate chips, cinnamon, raisins, bacon and cheese—whatever you like! I recommend you weigh your ingredients using a simple and inexpensive kitchen scale like we do in the bakery. Those weights are given (in parentheses) as well.
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edible INDY spring 2014
