Sunday, September 15, 2013

Ensaimada (Brioche)

A couple of weeks ago, we saw King Kong, the musical (play) at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne. Technically it was brilliant. You kinda appreciate the hard work wired into the movements of arduously making KingKong move like the real thing. To carry the arms and the legs of the mammal is a mammoth task. Pun intended. The head of King Kong was made to move by an electronic board. The limbs' were all due to puppeteers. The story line was old; setting was New York, heroine Anne falling in love with the skipper of the ship that brought them to Skull Island, King Kong saving her from the dangers of jungle, heroine showing empathy to King Kong, King Kong was drugged and brought to Broadway , and the iconic scene on top of the Empire State Building where King Kong fell into the abyss of oblivion. That in a nutshell is the story of the giant gorilla. Although King Kong doesn't belong to my top 3 musical plays (Les Miz remains my all time favourite), I like it as much. Just because.The last musical play I was able to watch was Rock of Ages and that was eons ago. My eyes welled up as soon as they turned off the lights, signalling the start of the show. I literally have shivers shooting down my spine every time the heroine hits an octave higher. 

I like musical plays and Im arty fartsy that way. My little boy tells me so. I love going to the museums, appreciating art. I love old buildings, pebble stones on alleys of brick wall. Soaking in other cultures is up my alley. I cant draw to save my life. But I appreciate good things and hard work and innate talent. of the old world and the new.

This recipe is from old and distant past. It is spanish in origin. Adapted by Filipinos and made it their own. I must say its the best brioche bar none. We call it Ensaimada. And its my favourite merienda or snacks of all time. I try  to make it as less sinful as I can. You can tweak it by putting ube or purple yam in between those rolls or make the butter on top even more sinful and delectable. I chose not too, mindful of those love handles slowly showing their ugly head.






*Snagged from thetummytrain.com
All photos are raw and by NoSetMenu
INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water, 100 to 110° F *
6 tablespoons sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature, plus more melted butter for brushing the rolls
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup evaporated milk
canola oil for greasing proofing bowl, baking sheet, and brioche molds


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. To proof yeast, add one tablespoon sugar and let stand for 10 minutes. The mixture should foam up and double in volume. This means the yeast is active. If the yeast does not foam and double, discard and repeat.
2. Sift flour and salt together twice. Add about 1/2 cup of flour to the yeast mixture and set aside.
3. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Turn the speed to medium-low, add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add flour-salt mixture alternately with milk, mixing until well incorporated.
6. Finally add yeast mixture, beating well.
7. Replace the paddle with a kneading hook and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, knead the dough by hand on a clean surface dusted with flour until smooth and elastic.
8. Let the dough rest in a bowl greased lightly with canola oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size, about one to two hours. Meanwhile, brush 12 brioche molds lightly with oil.

9. Once risen, punch down the dough and divide into twelve equal portions.
10. Roll out each piece to a thin sheet, brush with melted butter, and roll it like you would a jelly roll.
11. Coil this into a spiral-shaped bun. Either place the coiled dough flat on greased baking sheets or in greased fluted brioche molds.
12. Set the dough aside to rise a second time, until double in size, about an hour. When the dough is almost done, preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).
13. Bake until the crust turns golden brown. Brush with melted butter and dust generously with sugar. **

Storage: The rolls will keep for about a day or two at room temperature. Refrigerate to make them last for up to 5 days and simply reheat before eating, if desired. Remember that bread is best eaten fresh.

** You can also top ensaymadas with margarine, a sprinkling of sugar, and some grated cheese, if desired.

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