One of the first things I saw when I got off the plane in Marseille was Brioche Doree.  They didn’t just sell pastries but, in name alone, I felt inspired.  You’re in for a treat when you bite into one of these brioche treats.  They’re as good, or better, than anything you might find at the bakery!  Here’s a picture of the chocolate brioche I had when I was in France.

And here’s the one that came out of my oven when I returned home!  I guess since it’s coming out of my kitchen here in upstate New York, I could call them Brioche Marie.

I didn’t just stuff mine with dark chocolate.  I pulled out the Nutella (it was popular in Italy when we were there and seemed equally so in France!) and since Darrell prefers fruity to chocolaty, I also pulled out one of our jars of homemade apricot jam, too!  It was a regular brioche hoopla in the kitchen! (Next time, I’m considering adding in a little savory roll, too, with ham and brie!)

For these rolls, I used the brioche recipe from my blog.  It fits really well with my pilgrimage experience in France because the preparation of the dough naturally slows you down. This dough is also a make ahead dough so you can have it ready up to 48 hours before you’ll use it.  Pop the brioche rolls in the oven before a brunch and you’ll be a star in anyone’s eyes as soon as they bite into that warm chocolate roll!

Ready to start? 

Once the brioche dough comes out of the refrigerator, divide it into 4 equal pieces.  Divide each of those into 5 even pieces so that you have a total of 20. Keep your hands well floured!

Flatten each piece into a small rectangle and fill with about a 3 inch piece of a good dark chocolate bar.  I experimented with the chocolate cherry almond and Lindt.  The Lindt was a bit too thin for my taste (you could put in a double layer) while the Chocolove seemed just right. The cherry-almond got a little lost in the end result but I’d still consider trying other flavors; maybe a nice chocolate orange?

Fold the dough over the strip of chocolate bar, pinch it closed, and tuck in the edges. Place them on a lightly greased, or parchment lined, cookie sheet.  We all thought they looked in size and shape something like a Twinkie.  (a French Twinkie in this case!) 

For the Nutella rolls I flattened the dough into rounds and put a heaping teaspoon of Nutella in the center.  I pulled up the sides and pinched the seam.  I followed this same procedure for the apricot jam filled rolls. Seam side goes down.

Cover them and let rest until double in size (about 35 – 45 minutes).  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

I brushed on a little egg beaten with water then sprinkled on some sugar and slivered almonds.  You could skip the almonds if you want but I thought they really added to their appeal (both taste and appearance).

Bake for about 25-35 minutes.  They should be golden brown.  If they brown too quickly, tent some foil over the top.

They freeze well.  Just pull them out when you want one and let it thaw or warm it slightly in the microwave. 

Enjoy these delicious rolls but don’t forget to savor the time that you’ve put aside for the process, too.

You may have already read this comment in my last post.  It was from my cousin, Carol, who wrote:

We may try the Brioche next week. It sounds like a great way to slow down, and not rush to get something done, Marley’s school is encouraging a “No Screen Week” for next week. This is something we can work on over a few days as an alternative to her coming home and jumping to the TV or computer.

Aside from a yummy treat, think about all the memories they’ll make together in the slow down!  In my mind, it’s always a great idea to make bread, but to get your hands in the dough bowl with someone else (especially a little one!) makes it even better!

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Here’s to being around the bread bowl together one day…soon! 

Mary

If you’re looking for an easy, sweet recipe that doesn’t take quite so much time, you might like to try Yes-it’s-really-that-simple: Fougasse.

Curious about what inspired me to become a bread baker?  You can read about it in My Story with Bread.

Don’t forget to add your name to my contact list at the top of the post so you’ll know when new posts come out as well as where and when I’ll be teaching! I’d love to have you join this journey!