meet NOT your average bread { apple pie brioche }

I'm not superstitious when it comes to it, but this last Friday the 13th was exhausting. I don't know if it was because I woke up feeling suddenly ill, with a dull headache and a faint voice, or because I have slept an average of four hours a day, or even because my plans for the day got all mixed up, but by the time I got back home I was not feeling well at all. On top of all, and even though I undoubtedly urged for some sleep, I didn't feel like taking that mood to bed with me. Lucky me to know someone who knew how to fetch the sun for me in a rainy day. And even make me laugh. Out loud! :)

Feeling slightly better - and after being literally advised to go bake something - I ended up in the kitchen at midnight, preparing a dough starter (meaning no sleep till two). Oh, the magic power of leavening yeast... what a happy and relaxing scent it has. I knew exactly what I wanted to make. I had just finished all the homemade brioche I had sliced up and kept in the freezer, a french friend had just bragged about her own homemade ones the day before, and - oh, well - I had also been asked to make one. And I can't resist it when people like (and ask for!) my food. I ended up singing along and dancing to 90s songs, laughing in the kitchen, putting all my remaining strenght into blending those damn chunks of butter into a delicious dough.

And the next morning...

... oh well, you already know the story ;)

(let's get down to business)

Brioche baking takes so long, but it is so rewarding!

I think I might have fallen a little bit in love with this...

brioche de apple pie,

extra fofo e amanteigado, carregado de canela,
para o π Day... e para fazer os olhos sorrir.

500g de farinha

150g de manteiga, à temperatura ambiente, em cubos

10g de fermento seco

125ml de leite morno

5 colheres de sopa de açúcar

4 ovos

2 colheres de chá de sal

(recheio)

1 maçã golden, sem caroço, cortada em pedaços pequenos e bem finos

3/4 de chávena de açúcar

1/2 chávena de farinha

100g de manteiga à temperatura ambiente

50ml de maple syrup

1 colher de sopa rasa de canela

(primeiro dia)

Numa taça grande, misturar o fermento e o açúcar e juntar o leite morno. Deixar repousar cerca de 5-10 minutos, deixando formar uma espuma bem espessa no topo.

Entretanto, bater os ovos numa taça à parte.

Juntar os ovos à mistura de fermento e bater vigorosamente com um fouet.

Juntar à farinha e o sal aos poucos, incorporando gradualmente com o fouet. Após atingir metade da farinha, continuar o processo amassando com uma mão.

Juntar a manteiga aos poucos, repetindo o processo, desfazendo os pedaços de manteiga e amassando bem com a mão durante cerca de 10 minutos. A massa deve ficar bem homogénea e macia, fácil de despegar das paredes da taça.

Transferir para uma superfície ligeiramente enfarinhada e amassar bem durante outros 10 minutos. Formar uma bola de massa.

Reservar numa taça untada com óleo, coberta com película vegetal e/ou um pano de cozinha limpo, em lugar morno. Deixar levedar durante 2-3 horas.

No final do primeiro repouso transferir para o frigorífico e deixar estar durante uma noite - pode-se possivelmente saltar este passo, mas recomendo-o.

(segundo dia)

No dia seguinte, retirar a massa do frigorífico e deixar voltar à temperatura ambiente, cerca de 20-30 minutos.

Untar uma forma de bolo inglês bem grande, com bastante manteiga.

Entretanto, preparar o recheio, misturando todos os ingredientes muito bem.

Trabalhar rapidamente:

Dividir a massa em duas partes. Estender uma das partes sobre uma superfície ligeiramente enfarinhada, num rectângulo ligeiramente menos comprido que o comprimento da forma.

Espalhar metade do recheio sobre a massa, deixando cerca de 2-3 centímetros de todos os lados para enrolar e fechar. Dobrar os lados para dentro, enrolar a massa, achatar ligeiramente com o rolo da massa e colocar na forma.
Repetir com a restante massa, desta vez cortando o rolo achatado resultante no sentido do comprimento e formando com este uma trança, com a face cortada sempre voltada para cima e ligeiramente para o interior. Colocar sobre a primeira parte. Certificar-se de que a massa não ultrapassa 2/3 do tamanho da forma.

Tapar com um pano limpo e deixar levedar em ambiente morno mais 2 horas (o forno aquecido a 50ºC e depois desligado é um óptimo local).

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC. Levar o pão ao forno cerca de 40 minutos. O topo deve ficar dourado e soar oco.

Remover do forno, deixar arrefecer um pouco e desenformar. Polvilhar com canela e açúcar em pó. Cortar e servir ainda morno!

~

apple pie brioche,

with the perfect texture and buttery dough, loaded with cinnamon,
for π Day... and to shine a smile on the eyes.

500g flour

150g butter, room temperature, diced

10g active dry yeast

125ml warm milk

5 tbsp sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp salt

(filling)

1 golden apple, cored, sliced in small and thin pieces
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
100g butter, room temperature
50ml maple syrup
1 scant tbsp cinnamon

(first day)

In a big bowl, mix the yeast and sugar and add the milk. Let rest for about 5-10 minutes, so that a thick foam forms on the top.

Meanwhile, in a second bowl, beat the eggs.

Mix the eggs into the yeast mixture, whisking energetically until creamy and homogeneous.

Gradually incorporate flour and salt with the help of the whisk. After reaching half the amount of flour, keep on kneading the dough with one hand.

Blend in butter, kneading for about 10 minutes. The dough should be homogeneous and pliable, easy to unstick from the sides of the bowl.

Place on a flour dusted surface and knead for another 10 minutes. Roll it into a ball.

Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with cling wrap and/or a clean cloth and let leaven for about 2-3 hours.

After this first raising period, place in the fridge overnight - it may be possible to skip this but I reccomend it.

(second day)

The following day, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to return to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes.

Generously grease an english cake pan with butter.

Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.

Work fast:

Divide the dough in two parts. Roll one of them over a flour dusted surface, to the shape of a rectangle, slightly smaller in lenght than the pan.

Spread over half of the filling, leaving some 2-3 cm all around. Fold the edges over, roll it, slightly flatten it with the rolling pin and place it in the greased pan.

Repeat with the second part of the dough and filling. This time, cut it lenghtwise and braid it, sectioned part facing up and always slightly inwards. Place over the first roll. Make sure it is not bigger than 2/3 of your pan.

Cover with a clean cloth and let leaven for another 2 hours (an oven heated to 50º and then turned off is the perfect place to do it).

Heat oven at 180ºC. Bake for about 40 minutes. The top should be golden and sound hollow.

Remove from oven, let cool for a while and unmould. Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Slice and serve warm.

~

hope you had a relaxing weekend,

and wish you a happy week!

♥

inês