Kenwood Disaster Chef 2015 Week One Recipe Challenge – Brioche

I did a post a few weeks ago I’m a Kenwood Disaster Chef 2015 Contestant!

So the challenge started last week and I was happy to see the recipe was brioche as it’s my favourite bread, but I was also nervous as I’ve only ever made it in a bread maker. I’m always nervous working with dough but hey I’m up for a challenge.

Raymond makes it look easy peasy in the Week One Recipe Challenge Video.

Ingredients:

250g Strong white bread flour
3g / 3 pinches Sea salt
30g / 2 tablespoons Sugar
12g / 1 tablespoon Fresh yeast (Use half the quantity if using dried yeast)
4 Eggs, organic/free-range, medium sized
150g Butter, unsalted, small cubes at room temperature

Makes: One loaf

Prepartion time: 20 minutes, proving time 1.5 hours

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Equipment: Kenwood Chef Sense with dough hook attachment, and Loaf tin (26cm x 9cm x 8cm deep)

Method:

In the bowl of the Kenwood Chef Sense, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast, keeping the yeast away from the salt as it will damage its ability to ferment. Add the eggs and mix the ingredients with the dough hook attachment for 5 minutes on low power, until the eggs are completely incorporated
Increase to speed 2 for a further 5 minutes until the dough comes away from the edge of the bowl
Add the cubes of butter and continue to mix for 4-5 minutes until completely incorporated
Place the dough onto a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
Lightly oil the loaf tin, dust with flour and shake out the excess flour
Once the dough has cooled so it is firm enough to handle, turn it out onto a floured work surface and shape into a cylinder that will fit in to the loaf tin. Place it in to the loaf tin, lightly pat down and leave at room temperature for 1 hour until it has doubled in size
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes
Remove the tin from the oven and slide the brioche onto a cooling rack, and leave to cool.

So with all my ingredients measured out and my Kenwood Chef Sense ready to go, I begin.

First of all I love this machine and I’ve wanted one for ages. It takes me back to over 30 years ago when my mum had a Kenwood mixer.

So I start the mixing and it’s looking good

Mixing all done, I place the dough onto a tray lined with greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge.

So after chilling my dough in the fridge for 30 minutes, I try and turn it onto my floured surface and….

Disaster 1 – my dough is stuck to the paper. I literally had to scrape whatever I could off.

I carry on with shaping my dough and placing into my tin for proving.

Disaster 2 – After leaving my dough to prove for an hour, alas it did not double in size. Never mind, into the oven you go.

Disaster 3 – my brioche was burnt!

I decided to try again in the morning. Before Josiah went to school he said ‘mummy, don’t burn it again or I’ll be very cross”.

My husband David analysed my first attempt and said ‘you don’t like to follow instructions properly and you didn’t mix the dough long enough’. Thank you David!

My second attempt was more successful. David watched over me and timed my mixing. After proving my dough it doubled.