Brie in Brioche

May 24, 2013

An amazingly delicate brioche hugging a mouth melting delicious round double-creamed brie. It is a temptation that wonderfully combines two irresistible creations for which the world is ever grateful to French chefs.

60 g milk
5 g dry yeast
60 g bread flour
150 g eggs (2 large eggs + 1 egg white. Save the third yolk for the egg wash at the end)
240 g bread flour
15 g sugar
4 g salt
150 g butter at room temperature

Warm up the milk. Dissolve the yeast. Add the flour. Stir and let stay covered till doubles its volume. Put the mixture in a mixer bowl. Add the eggs and the dry ingredients. Using a paddle attachment, work the dough until forms. Add the butter in small portions after each portion is nicely absorbed.

The result will be a soft, sticky dough.

Scrape the walls and the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Cover with foil loosely and let stay at room temperature (25° C) for about 20-30 min.

The dough won't be handled too much so the longer fermentation is not needed.

Have the brie cheese prepared. The recipe is for brie with a diameter 14 cm. Keep it cool until the dough is proved.

Roll the dough in the eccentric way - the ends of the dough need to "hug" the brie cheese without overlapping too much.

Place the cool brie cheese in the centre.

Cover it completely with the ends of the dough, smoothing the seams with a bit of egg if needed. The dough is very soft and easily follows the round shape of the brie.

Turn the covered cheese upside down and place it in a tart pan. Any pan could do the trick for baking. The important thing is to have an edge. Sheet pans do not work well. Sometimes, if the crust of the brie cheese is not strong enough, it brakes during baking. Melted cheese is free to evacuate. No loses will be suffered with a tart pan. Ceramic is the most appropriate one for baking this delight.

Brush with egg yolk. No need for proofing at this time. The brie can be baked immediately at 190° C at convection bake. Cover with aluminum foil after the crust turns golden brown (after about 25-30 min). Continue baking at 180° C for another 10-15 min or until well done.