This was my first time making brioche and it won't be the last! I was inspired to bake brioche over my winter break after savoring a sample at a school event called "Around the World in Bread."
The phrase "Let them eat cake!" attributed to Marie Antionette, was actually "Let them eat brioche!" uttered 100 years earlier by a different Marie. The original French expression was "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche!"
Eggs and butter give brioche a lovely flaky-fluffy texture (think bread version of a croissant). But brioche has more versatility than a croissant since stale brioche can be transformed into pain perdu (French toast) or bread pudding.
Trader Joe's winter Fearless Flyer recommended topping brioche with their Fig Butter and a slice of English Blue Stilton, Swiss Gruyère, or Spanish Murcia al Vino.
Lemon curd or raspberry jam are also tasty toppings, unless you prefer the brioche au naturel. If you like having fruit and plain yogurt for breakfast, I recommend accompanying your meal with sultry brioche to mellow the yogurt's tartness.
Nutrition Highlight: Canola Oil
Heart Healthy
Many of us cook with olive oil instead of butter because of its heart healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. However, I would recommend also including canola oil in your baking and cooking because it's very low in saturated fat and high in omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids help the heart by lowering blood pressure and decreasing blood clotting.
The following graph demonstrates how canola is the cooking oil with the highest amount of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega 3 fatty acid. Canola oil is 11% ALA, while olive oil is only 1% ALA. Flaxseed oil has the most ALA, but is best used in dips or salad dressing because it has a very low smoke point.
The following graph demonstrates how canola is the cooking oil with the highest amount of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), which is an omega 3 fatty acid. Canola oil is 11% ALA, while olive oil is only 1% ALA. Flaxseed oil has the most ALA, but is best used in dips or salad dressing because it has a very low smoke point.
Fat for Thought
When it comes to fat, balance is key. Both saturated and unsaturated fats are necessary for maintaining the structure of cells' plasma membranes. It's recommended to emphasize unsaturated fats, since they help lower LDL-cholesterol, while excess saturated fats increase LDL-cholesterol.
Too much dietary saturated fat causes cells to have fewer LDL receptors, which means more LDL-cholesterol is floating around in the blood. LDL particles can pass through arterial walls, but when there are too many, they get stuck inside the cell and trigger atherosclerosis.
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is no longer considered a "plumbing problem," i.e. plaque accumulation on arterial walls that prevents movement of blood. Rather, it's an accumulation of LDL particles inside arterial walls that triggers an immune response, inflammation, which ultimately ends in plaque rupture. When plaque ruptures, little bits of the clot are now floating throughout the body and can get lodged in other tissues, leading to heart attack or stroke.
The Bottom Line
For healthy arteries, keep LDL-cholesterol levels low by minimizing saturated fats and emphasizing unsaturated fats. To do this use, cook with canola or olive oil instead of butter and replace butter with oil in bread baking.
Too much dietary saturated fat causes cells to have fewer LDL receptors, which means more LDL-cholesterol is floating around in the blood. LDL particles can pass through arterial walls, but when there are too many, they get stuck inside the cell and trigger atherosclerosis.
What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is no longer considered a "plumbing problem," i.e. plaque accumulation on arterial walls that prevents movement of blood. Rather, it's an accumulation of LDL particles inside arterial walls that triggers an immune response, inflammation, which ultimately ends in plaque rupture. When plaque ruptures, little bits of the clot are now floating throughout the body and can get lodged in other tissues, leading to heart attack or stroke.
The Bottom Line
For healthy arteries, keep LDL-cholesterol levels low by minimizing saturated fats and emphasizing unsaturated fats. To do this use, cook with canola or olive oil instead of butter and replace butter with oil in bread baking.
Printable Recipe
To reduce the saturated fat of brioche without compromising on texture, I substituted some canola oil for the original 1/2 c of butter. My first loaf had 5 T butter + 3 T oil, and the second (shown in photos) had 4 T butter + 3 T oil. The latter proportions didn't make any noticeable difference in the taste or texture. I then tried replacing 1 T oil with a yolk and liked the results even better.
Brioche is a "special occasion" bread, great for enjoying during holidays and birthdays.
For a 1 lb. bread machine
1 c + 2 T white whole wheat flour
3/4 c white flour
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 T canola oil
3 oz (1/3 c + 1 T) water
4 T butter, sliced (add during last 10 min of kneading cycle)
1 tsp yeast
Add ingredients to bread machine in the order recommended by your manual. Add butter, 1 T at a time, during the last 10 minutes of the kneading cycle for best texture because too much fat added early on will interfere with gluten formation.
Adapted from this recipe.
So, when is olive oil an option? I suppose it's a matter of taste or recipe.....
ReplyDeleteYes, it's mainly a matter of taste. Canola oil has a more neutral flavor, so when you want to have a different flavored vinaigrette, you can use canola instead of olive oil.
DeleteHi Stephanie! What setting on your bread machine did you use? White bread? This looks great! --Nicole
ReplyDeleteI always use the Regular, Light bake mode. The light refers to a lighter crust.
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