July 3rd
2006
My Sunday mornings begin quite early, usually somewhere between seven and eight o'clock. Not because of my alarm clock making me to, but my body is so used to getting up early it has become a natural habit. Besides, when sleeping in, I almost feel guilty of letting a wonderful summer day pass by.
Positive side-effect: There is plenty of time to scan our fridge and pantry and - hopefully - find enough ingredients for a decent breakfast. This morning, after I realized a yawning void on the bread end, I threw the pizza plans for the evening out the window and decided to use my last yeast block in favor of a proper breakfast including...well, I wasn't exactly sure on what to do with it but had a vague notion of a sweet yeast roll or similar in mind.
Fresh yeast has to be one of my favorite ingredients to work with. Unwrapping that little chilled cube, crumbling the yeast with your fingers, its consistency, its smell. Its probably manifested in my genes. My grandma's brother owned a wonderful tiny bakery and my grandma lend him a hand every Saturday morning, which meant rise and shine at half past two (AM). Hard work, but rewarded with the most wonderful pretzels and bread rolls, delivered still slightly warm once she returned. Therefore she was always well stocked with fresh yeast, readily available for her yummy Zwetschgendatschi (famous regional plum cake), Buchteln and Nußzopf (braided nut cake) and whenever the opportunity allowed she'd give me a "free" lesson on how to prepare a proper yeast dough. At the time I was probably thinking "been there done that" but today I'm eternally thankful she was so persistent! Having had various culinary failures [across cuisines] over the years, I never found dough including fresh yeast to be much of a challenge. Just take these simple rules to heart: Always use really fresh yeast, don't let it get in direct contact with salt or fat and keep the covered bowl with the dough rising in a warm and draft free spot.
Sieve the flour into a bowl and make a little depression in the middle. Pour the lukewarm milk into the well, add the crumbled yeast and one teaspoon of sugar. Carefully stir once or twice. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let the pre-dough rise for about 15 minutes, the surface will start to look bubbly.
Add the remaining ingredients (sugar, egg, orange zest, pinch of salt, cooled down melted butter) and knead well, either manually or with your kitchen machine until dough can be easily removed from the bowl (non-sticky). If it still feels too sticky, add some more flour. Again, let the covered bowl rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes (size of dough should almost double).
Knead dough one more time and toss on a floured pastry board. Cut in equal pieces and form little snow ball sized dumplings. To ensure an equal size for my muffin tray, I prepared one model, trimmed it until it had a perfect size and weighted it afterwards. The rest of the dough I cut into equal pieces, each around 75g.
Place little paper cups in the holes of a muffin tray (I used a tray, which holds 12 muffins & two extra cups) and fill each with a dough ball. Bake at 200°C (390°F) for about 15 minutes or until the tops turns golden brown. Cover with parchment paper if the tops get too dark too fast. After removing the tray from the oven I brush them with a little melted butter, giving them a nice little glow. Enjoy these little fluffy orange-scented brioches still warm with butter and jam!
This has to be a good day... ;)
Note: The dough can also be flavored with lemon zest, vanilla sugar or cinnamon, whatever your heart desires. For chocolate brioches, place a little piece of your favorite chocolate inside the dough balls... Yummy! Oh and before I forget, in case you have left overs they make a really good basis for French Toast.
Orange Brioches
Recipe source: own creation
Prep time: 20min., resting: about 1 hour, baking: 15 to 20 min.
.
Ingredients (yields about 14 muffin sized brioches):
250 ml lukewarm milk
20g fresh yeast
500g flour
75g white sugar
a pinch of salt
1 egg
75g melted butter
zest of half an untreated orange
extra melted butter to brush rolls (about 1 tbsp)
Nummy. I'd have to say I'd be more than happy to start any day with these...
You are one really lucky grand daughter who had a wonderful grandmother!!! I've always used instant dry yeast but I love it as you do. Yeast dough is such a joy.
The rolls are gorgeous!!!
They're absolutely beautiful! I will definitely be trying this recipe.
Those brioches are very beautiful! I'm sure that they were delicious...
They look soo cute, I'd love to start EVERY Sunday morning with some! I never used fresh yeast in the past, but maybe the time has come to overcome my fears? Thanks for providing tips and detailed description, the next Sunday is approaching fast ;)
no..can't think of a better way to start a sunday morning...thanks for the inspiration to get out there and try fresh yeast
hi, just like to check, can i substitute fresh yeast for dry ones? if so, how much do i use? thanks!
Wonderful!
Hello! this is my first time to your site, and might i say, you have some of the absolute best photos in the food blogosphere! nice work!
Thank you for this gorgeous happy sunday morning recipe!
Hi!
Sunday mornings are also special for me! I usually bake bread and have it with chocolate cream (Nutella). Your brioche looks delicious! I´ll have to try! :)
hhmmmm delicious photos, delicious days!! Nice foodlog :)
The brioches are beautfiul! I love breads--I'll have to try these sometime.
Fresh yeast is such a pleasure to bake with - I agree. And your mention of Zwetschgendatschi made my eyes light up again! Those rolls look so delicious, too.
Wonderful smell even the monday morning with a cup of coffee.
On weekend mornings I'm usually torn between doing something fancy or being lazy - your pictures and descriptions are definitely pushing me to the more energetic side! They look perfectly yummy!
I was always afraid of using fresh yeast in the past, sounded like something rather mysterious to me. But now that I\'ve seen these little cuties, I\'ll have to try your recipe! Love your site!
I can smell the aroma of the fresh bread!......again beautiful work.
Happy Baking
Wow, I love that first photo especially. I haven't done much with fresh yeast because I'm never sure when I'm going to bake but the brioche looks so yummy that I'm tempted to try it.
Btw, hope you don't mind but I've linked you!
I totally agree that it's hard to "sleep in" in the summer time, especially when the sun is out early and the birds are chipping AND a nice Sunday brunch/munch/lunch, whatever we call it, is lolling out with friends/ family. The orange brioche look good! I've never used fresh yeast before... Does it make a big difference?
i've always been scared of cooking with yeast -- maybe because my younger brother was a baker/pastry chef i assumed you needed a trade qualification to use the stuff! but these pictures are so beautfiful and perfect and inspiring! i may have to overcome my fear!
The brioche sound wonderful! I have never seen yeast like that before ( can you tell I don't os much baking?) whenever I use yeast it comes dry in little packets. I am sorry that Germany was defeated in the World Cup semi-final by Italy ( well, not too sorry, as I am hoping that Italy wins...I am part Italian)...I bet it is very upsetting for the German fans..especially since Germany is the host.
Hello, me again!
just few words :
"Danke Schön, wunderbar!"
You recipe is just great, i've try it yesterday evening, i just can't wait sunday to make those delicious things!!
The recipe is perfect, i love the subtil orange taste...
Thank you again,
A bientôt!
Hallo Nicky, auch ich hab mich bisher nie an frische Hefe rangetraut, für mich war das immer für die Krönung der Backkunst, bin aber nicht so die große Bäckerin. Die Vorstellung diese kleinen Prachtexemplare bei einem Sonntagsbrunch servieren zu können ist allerdings schon sehr verlockend!
Außerdem: Schade, dass wir ausgeschieden sind. Trotzdem hat sich die Mannschaft wacker geschlagen und in den letzen Wochen sehr viele Fans gewonnen. Von der positiven Stimmung im Land ganz zu schweigen. Dann eben beim nächsten Mal!
Very beautiful. Your recipe is nice. I love the taste of orange.
may i ask a question? why do you put the ingredients list at the end of the recipe? it means i need to cut and paste and rearrange your info into a word document instaed of simply printing directly off your blog. have you considered putting the ingredients first and then the instructions, or at least on another section of your blog? (or do you do this and i haven;t found it?). otherwise i love your blog.
Wow, your website is a delight for the stomach and the eye. Really well done. What a find you are!
I've seen another ask about your camera lenses, but can you tell me what camera you are using to capture such superb lighting? I was also particularly fond of the Lisbon shots.
All the best.
Rebecca.
The other night I made your Pignoli Cantuccini... wonderful. Best I've ever had! My husband and I just finished off the last of them tonight. I am going to make another batch on Friday as a gift for my mother. I love your blog and will definitely be trying more of your recipes in the (near) future!
They look absolutely wonderful! My Mother used to bake little brioches using fresh yeast and now I'm inspired to try them on my own. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Deliciously beautiful ...
They don't only LOOK beautiful, they TASTE it, as well! Thank you, Nicky, for another beautifully simple, tastefully delicious recipe with more of your gorgeous photographs.
I made the brioches today without orange zest (lacking any) but with vanilla sugar. I also filled half of the batch with orange marmelade or blackcurrant jam. They are delicious, but I found I actually prefer the plain ones and eat them with butter and the marmelade or jam of my choice. This way, I can have the best of all (well, almost all) worlds ;-).
I agree, by the way, with one of the earlier commentators on the placement of the recipe. I simply printed the whole article and had to go forward and backwards on the pages while I was preparing the dough. Next time, however, I will probably only use the ingredients list and improvise the rest. I also loved working the dough. I do always have dried yeast in the house, but baking with fresh yeast just seems to feel so much more sensuous. Mhhhmmm!
These look absolutely delicious indeed! It's quite difficult to get hold of fresh yeast in Edinburgh, but back home it's available everywhere, so I can try making these brioches in a few days!
Hello Nicky,
I think that I can smell these brioche baking from here. MMM. Your last image with the brioche split and filled with butter and jam, looks a little like a sweet dough cake that we have here called a split. These are generally filled with cream and jam, and they might be a bit too naughty for breakfast, but perfect for afternoon tea!
I hope you don't mind (and haven't already posted on this), but I would like to 'tag' you for a Meme. Please go to my posting to see what it's all about.
Best wishes.
kaylin, Yes, you can substitute fresh yeast with dry one. The packages usually tell you, how much dry yeast should be used for a given amount of flour. For instance one package dry yeast from Dr.Oetker (a German product) substitutes half a cube/20g of fresh yeast and can be used for 500g of flour. I use dry yeast very rarely in the past, because I found the dough and the final product to be fluffier when instead going with fresh yeast. But maybe that is just my impression. (PS: The fresh vs. dry yeast debate inveigled me to run a quick experiment, it'll be in the next post...)
Hi hag, Congrats to the Italian team for winning the cup! What an overall wonderful Worl Cup it has been - wait, the European Cup is already in two years from now...Concerning dry yeast see above. :)
ooishigal, Thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear the recipe worked out well for you and provided you with a great start into Sunday...
Hallo Sabina, Ja wirklich Schade aber auf der anderen Seite (und v.a. jetzt im Rückblick) war der dritte, gewonne Platz schon beinahe wie der erste gefeiert und hinterlässt doch irgendwie ein besseres Gefühl als ein verlorener Zweiter.
Hi e, Thanks for the feedback. The blogs' layout wasn't devised to mimic a recipe database, it's still a personal blog. Oftentimes it's the method that either "makes or breaks" a recipe for me, so I always found it useful to read through the steps before considering a recipe at all. And copying the method and ingredients list into a Word document (or other editor) is done in a second, that's what I do, too, when I pick a recipe from the web.
Rebecca, On both occasions we shot with a Nikon D70s, with both a 17-55mm zoom lens and a macro lens (see also our FAQ).
Hi Katie, Aren't those great! I'm happy to hear the recipe turned out well and you and you husband enjoyed them so much!
Claudia, I'm sure that the vanilla aroma goes well with the yeast - good to hear that the recipe - despite the logistical challenge - worked out well ;)
Oh wie süß die aussehen! Ich weiß nicht, warum frische Hefe viele einschüchtert, einmal probiert und für immer überzeugt!
Hi!
I tried this recipe yesterday and I couldn't be happier with the result!!
The brioches look nice and taste great!! They made my breakfast a lot better... with a little guava jelly, hum.... :D
Tks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
Kind regards from Brazil,
Patricia.
[...] See what I mean? Orange Brioches for breakfast and it gets worse. The instructions are easy to follow (4 steps). Relatively quick to prepare and the ingredients are already in the house. Eating first helped but I wouldn’t be surprised if muffins are served tomorrow morning. [...]
It´s delicious, come with me and explore my blog http://cesarts.blogspot.com/, disculpa mi poco inlges me ha gustado mucho tu ejemplificacion del trabajo de la levadura, espero puedas ver mi espacio. Saludos!
[...] Is there a better way to start a Sunday morning? Probably not. When I’m through with this whole healthy eating mlarky, I’m definitely making me some of these! [...]
These look delicious!
I usually use active dry yeast but earlier this year, I used fresh yeast for the first time (saffron buns) with wonderful results. I wanted to make the buns again and had a devil of a time trying to ascertain what the equivalent was....
Just curious, how many grams of yeast are in "one package dried yeast from Dr.Oetker"?
-Elizabeth
P.S. One other question: what exactly is "untreated" orange?
Edit: Just had a look at the little packages of dry yeast, unfortunately they don't have any details on weight printed on them - just the info "content equals to half a cube of fresh yeast" and "sufficent for 500g all-purpose flour". I tried to weigh it myself, but our scale isn't good enough to manage weights below 10 grams. Measured in teaspoons, it's about 2 tsp, maybe a little more. With "untreated orange" I was referring to oranges, that haven't been waxed or been treated in any other way with plant protection products.
oh gorgeous & charming!!!
your site is just overflowing.
hugs!! mav
p.s. i will write you an email very soon.
I made these this morning, and they were light and fragrant and very tasty. I'd never used fresh yeast before, and enjoyed working with it. A lovely treat. Thanks Nikki! (Oh, and I like reading all the way through your stories/ instructions before seeing the ingredients- it does seem more like a cookbook, and I cut and paste as needed.)
Oh my God, they look fabulous. I adore brioches and will definitely give them a go.Thank you for sharing another beautiful recipe.
Chaya, I'm glad I inspired you to work with fresh yeast for the first time and you were happy with the results, too! On a similar note: Now that I've brought myself to prepare the Boquerones recipe (because dear friends did it before me), I can't understand, what took me so long to begin with ...
I tried your recipe and it turned out great! I substituted the lemon cest for orange cest and my family loved them. Thanks for sharing!
Hi , I have come back to say that I did make the brioche recipe and it is DIVINE. Spot on. The dough raised so much .my brioches not only are fluffy but terribly delicious.Thank you.Will post on my blog and put a link to yours if htat's ok.
Hi Valentina, That's absolutely fine! :) I'm glad the recipe worked for you and brought you a pleasant morning/breakfast.
Hi Nicky,
I love your blog and I already made a lot from your recepies..My question is about this yummiii brios. Can I prepare the dough a day before and keep it on a warm place and bake it the next today?
all the best
Ildiko from The Netherlands
Hi Illdiko, I haven't tried it myself, so I can only guess; on the other hand, I don't see a reason, why it shouldn't work! After finishing the dough, I would recommend putting it (covered with foil) in the fridge overnight. We follow this method for a great Focaccia recipe (also on our blog) and it produces a very flavorful result. Allowing yeast doughs to rise in the fridge obviously takes more time, but if you prepare it a day in advance, it should work out great. If the dough (especially with fresh yeast) rises in a warm spot for a longer time (two hours plus, depending on dough texture), chances are it will collapse under its own weight and thus becomes less fluffy. Let me know how it turned out, in case you try to make the dough in advance!
Hi Nicky,
I tried your recipe this Sunday (added chocolate chips) and the result was amazing! Thanks for sharing.
[...] So look no further blogger, but to your links at your sidebar. Delicious Days had the perfect posting: Is there a better way to start a Sunday morning…? I took out the orange zest and added a cup of chocolate chips during step 2 and the result was amazing. Thanks for sharing Nicky! [...]
Hi Nicky, I tried your orange brioches yesterday and impressed all of my friends. We had a late brunch and enjoyed them with homemade plum jam. Thank you so much!
These look amazing. I know what I'm going to be making this Sunday!
I've been making these at least three times now and get compliments from friends and family. I also baked the dough in a larger baking form one time and the result was equally good with longer baking time). Used it for French Toast on the next day, simply delicious!
I loved them!
I am at my third tray in five days: my family just can't get enough of them! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
Mae, Elke,
I fully understand! But now I am torn between the croissants and the brioche...although, the brioche are definitely less work ;)
I am SO going to try the croissants.. I am just waiting for a bit of time. I definitely want to dedicate them all the concentration they need ;)
My brioches turned out awesome. I'm always a bit hesitant in trying recipes from the internet, you proved me wrong. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi, I've been wanting to try your recipe... you've inspired me to finally try out fresh yeast! (though they don't sell it in grocery stores here)
Just a quick question though - isn't there a second rise after shaping the brioches? Your recipe doesn't mention a second rise, but all the other bread recipes I've come across require a second rise...
Hi Chokorate, These brioches always turn out very fluffy, there is no need for a second rise. But feel free to experiment and let me know how they came out!
Hi Nicky.
I tried making these brioches this morning, and my god, it was good! I've tried a lot of bread recipes, and most of them turned out to be a disaster. But these were just nice.
And you were right, this recipe is also a good base for making toast. I'm thinking of making them into a whole loaf the next time and see the outcome. Haven't post the pics yet, but will do soon. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe! This will definitely be my favorite bread recipe from now on :)
ps: I left out the orange zest cause I didn't have any, but they still taste great!
Hi,
The brioches look wonderful. I would like to try them.
Can you please translate the recipe in cups and tablespoons and also where can I get fresh yeast here in US.
Thanks
Neema
Hi wt, Neema, Have you tried these links per our FAQ: gram/cup conversion & general conversion tables? They've been very useful to us when moving back and forth between the metric and imperial system.
I'm just finishing baking the first batch of your brioches. Hot damn!!! They look so good! Thank you so much for this recipe, it's dead easy and very yummy! Thank you!
Marta, Glad you liked them! These brioches are one of my favorite Sunday morning treats, like you said, dead easy AND yummy. Last time we had them I added chopped dried apricots to the dough, so good!
Well Nicky, two people polished off 15 of those brioches in no time! I'm going to make them every weekend, no doubt! They're really with Nutella =).
Hello there, may I ask what kind of fresh yeast block do you usually use? and where to buy them? (what brand?) :) thanks so much! this brioches look so deliz! yummm~
jazzholic, I often buy fresh yeast at my bakery around the corner, but when buying yeast at the supermarket I use for example Wieninger yeast.
Hello! I made these (and a few other items from your beautiful blog) a week ago, and they were absolutely wonderful and delicious! I have a quick question though, when preparing the pre dough, I did all the steps that you advised, adding the yeast to the well filed with milk. But, I was wondering, when you say to stir carefully once or twice, do mean to stir the entire mixture, flour and all, or to simply stir the yeast + milk + sugar part. I'm curious, because I didn't get too many bubbles on top, and I'm wondering if that's because all the milk got covered up by dry flour when I stirred, or if it's because maybe the milk was a little too cold. On another note, the dough rose beautifully for the 45 minutes, and also ended up looking beautiful when it came out of the oven. Thanks, again, for the beautiful website!
Tanvi, I only stir the yeast + milk + sugar part. But since there are also recipes which suggest to stir the whole mixture (and your dough rose beautifully), there is little you can do wrong. Concerning the missing amount of bubbles, I'd say your assumption about the milk being too cold is right. You can always heat up the milk for a very short period of time on the stove or with your microwave - it has the right temperature, when you hold your finger inside and it feels only slightly warm (like body temperature).
[...] made some brioches, a recipe I got from the great cook, Nicky of Delicious:Days. The recipe is really easy to follow and the bread taste heavenly! This is my 3rd time making these [...]
[...] the time. I have written about Chocolate Chip Brioches before, which I baked using Nicky’s recipe. I also tried her Membrillo recipe for a friend’s birthday and got raving [...]
these sound so nice on a Sunday morning!