Monday 16 November 2015

Bish, Bash, Brioche!

Fanny is keen to demonstrate that she is 'exploding yet another fallacy' by guiding us with ease through the often-thought-of-as-tricky yeast cookery. 'Bang goes the fable that yeast is difficult to handle' she boldly states as we skip into the kitchen together... Yes, yeast takes time, but not nearly as much as the 'misinformed' (that's all those who disagree with Fanny you understand) would have you imagine. Fanny calls them 'know-alls' who happen to be 'absolutely wrong'. So 'know-nothings' really. Fanny has something to 'prove' to us all, when it comes to yeast, it should be simple.

Fanny Cradock Brioche

We've already mastered croissants (sort of), explored the differences between Babas and Savarins, so the sensible yet simple next step is to look at the mighty Brioche. Fanny has another secret up her over-blown chiffon sleeve... the yeasted batter for Brioche is exactly the same as we have just made for Babas and Savarins. Exactly. With a feeling of déjà-vu I set to mixing it all together, but as Fanny says, it is at least simple.

Fanny Cradock Brioche

Fanny likes to think of Brioches as 'edible containers' for either sweet or savoury fillings. She maintains that the incidence of sugar in the batter is not high enough to offend the palate which receives savoury mouthfuls. Not too sweet then. Fanny would give us wondrous recipes for Fois Gras fillings (which would command a hefty price of £1.25 per slice in fancy restaurants as a first course) but we aren't quite ready for that. Phew. Instead she entices us (seemingly) with a drab crab filling or a French Soufflé. If in doubt, add a soufflé to anything and everything, that's Fannys mantra. She hollows out a giant brioche, fills it with a superb show-off soufflé mix and bakes it again. Ta-dah!

Fanny Cradock Brioche

Brioches are versatile however. As an alternative Fanny gets poor old Sally to cobble together another giant brioche, this time suitable for a range of Family Occasions, 'La Brioche Familiale'. Shamefully Sally has burnt the top of an otherwise beautiful bake, but Fanny is at hand with her trusty icing sugar to cover it liberally with an inch or two of heavy dusting before it is presented. Sally is no longer invited to the family occasion. For Sally's own good, a picture of it is presented in all it's glory for readers to see. She must learn and not become one of those 'know-alls'. Fanny also makes some 'Brioche Ordinaries' herself in little miniature brioche pans. It is these plain brioches I go for, mainly as I have the pans, and I don't want to end up cast out like Sally.

Fanny Cradock Brioche

Fanny is not normally known for her plainness however, so she suggests a simple way to tiddle them up a little for very special occasions. Tinned fruit. It's always my first port of call when I want to go fancy. Actually it is a bit of a guilty pleasure, so I am of course delighted that Fanny approves. She gives her brioches a little scoop out to create a hollow, filling them with an apricot cup. My tinned fruit of choice is the marvellous peach, sliced and smothered with a generous painting of crab apple jelly. A joy to eat, yet so simple, and so there to all you misinformed 'know-alls'...

Fanny Cradock Brioche

8 comments:

  1. Think I'd have plumped for tinned mandarins myself! But lovely buns you have there :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why thank you! Yes, I do love tinned Mandarins too...

      Delete
  2. Oh, I love your summaries. I really feel like I'm reading the book. I first made brioche in the company of Julia Child (or her recipe at least) and I must say it worked very well. Hers was a brioche nanterre (named ironically for the now really modern area of Paris where they have the Grande Arche de la Défense) which involves placing balls of brioche dough in a loaf tin and cutting little nicks in the top with a pair of scissors—Julia can be just as eccentric as Fanny from time to time. Subsequently, I was taught to make Fanny's brioches ordinaires at the Cordon Bleu school in Paris where the proper technique included what can only be described as a karate chop. It's a pity know-it-all Fanny didn't know about that as I'd love to have heard her take on it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Fanny saved the karate chop for poor Sally in this instance...

      Delete
  3. Thanks for your blog! It's so pleasant to read it. I enjoy every post. I'm an avid cook. My restaurant isn't so popular in London, but I'm proud of it.
    George from www.freelancehouse.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment, and best of luck with the restaurant, I'm sure it is popular really!

      Delete
  4. Thank you for your kind words! I'll try to make it more cozy and bright inside. Perhaps then it'll gain more popularity.

    ReplyDelete