Another variation on the Poor Man’s Brioche theme, opportunistically drawing on left-over butternut squash/mascarpone puree from yesterday’s dinner.
Note: Unlike most of the formulas on the site which are for 940g dough weight to produce an 800g loaf, the brioche formulas are 600g dough weight for a 500g loaf.
In advance roast butternut squash, puree, cool and mix in a small amount (10%?) mascarpone.
Melt the butter and let it cool. Break eggs into a bowl on your scales. Mix in the the starter, butter and squash puree.
Mix in the flour and salt to form a dough. Knead using your normal method. If you’re new to baking check out the Sourdough pdf under the Library Menu.
Dice the pecorino into small cubes and fold them into the dough before your final knead.
Form into a rough ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover. Allow to ferment for about four hours stretching each hour for the first three hours. This is not essential but will improve the dough structure.
Alternatively ferment overnight in the fridge.
Lightly oil a bread tin. Press the dough out into a “rectangle” that is narrower on the top long side than the bottom. The bottom long side should be not quite as long as the bread tin. With your thumbs along the top long side roll the dough up towards you pulling back a little as you roll to provide the tension to keep the roll tight. Place the dough on its seam and roll back and forth to create a seal. Drop the dough into the tin seam side down.
Proving is a matter of judgement. Brioche can be slow because of the eggs and butter. But in a bread tin it is easy to observe the dough’s progress. This particular dough was made on a warm day and was ready in two hours but in colder weather it may take four hours or more.
Preheat your oven to about 210C.
Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Bake for about 50 minutes reducing the heat to 180C after the first 15 minutes. Brush with egg wash again half way through baking.
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