Chocolate Swirl Brioche
Submitted by bettina on October 04, 2004 at 10:31 am

DESCRIPTION
Chocolate Swirl Brioche

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Misc. Recipes & Requests

INSTRUCTIONS
I found this on the Chef2Chef site, about 2 years ago, darn good stuff! This is a very nice contrast, the slightly sweet, rich brioche, and the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate filling.

For the brioche dough:

2 TBS warm water, 110F-115F
2 TBS granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp sugar, for proofing yeast
2 tsp dry yeast
3 1/2 cups A/P flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
9 large eggs, 8 for dough, one for wash
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into tbs

Chocolate Filling:

3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Make the brioche dough:

1. Combine the water, 1 tsp sugar, and the yeast. Allow to proof.

2. In bowl of mixer, on low speed, combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, yeast mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, until fully combined. Increase the speed to medium, and continue to mix for 3 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. At low speed, add the butter, one TBS at a time, until fully incorporated into dough.

3. Transfer to a large, buttered bowl, cover, allow to rise about 1 1/2 hours, or until almost doubled in bulk. While dough is rising, make up chocolate filling mixture.

The dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, up to two days...so at this point, deflate it, cover, and refrigerate.

Chocolate Filling:

Have chopped chocolate in bowl, heat cream just until boiling point, pour over chocolate, allow to melt, then whisk until smooth, cool slightly, then blend in beaten egg, and vanilla, whisk to combine. Cover and refrigerate also.

Shaping the Brioche:

1. Butter two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pans, have oven preheated to 375F.

2. Working with 1/2 the dough, roll out to a rectangle 7 x 15, spread with one half the chilled chocolate mixture. Roll, from short end, into a tight jelly roll. Gently place into prepared pan, seam side down, repeat with remaining dough.

3. Cover, allow to rise 1 hour, doubled, brush with egg wash, 1 egg, 1 tsp water.

4. Bake at 375F, 35-40 minutes, until loaves are a deep golden brown.

5. Cool in pans, on rack, for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes:

This turned out wonderfully the very first time I made it. I now flavor the chocolate sometimes with any number of the Lorann oils, instead of the vanilla, depending upon my mood.