Olsen's 7

I was up pretty much on and off all night trying to make Brioche (a really yummy bread that I LOVED when I lived in France). It takes a long time to make but it is worth it. Here is a recipe that is really good!!!

Rose Levy Beranbaum's Brioche

[sponge]

2 tbsp water, at room temperature

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 large egg

Mix the above in a bowl with a whisk until smooth

.

[dough]

1 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs cold

4 oz. unsalted butter, very soft * (or 6 oz. for the butter-crazed)Mix the flour, sugar, salt and yeast together, then sprinkle it over the sponge. Wrap with plastic wrap and let sit 1/2-2 hours. (Or 1 hours, then move it into the fridge for up to 24 hours. Remove it from the fridge 1 hour before you want to continue with the dough.)Put the dough into the bowl of a mixer, add the 2 eggs and mix with the hook on low speed. When it is smooth, raise the speed to medium and beat 2 min. Scrape down the sides and beat for 5 min. more. Add the butter a spoonful at a time, letting it get mixed it before adding more. (This took a while for me since I have no microwave to soften my butter. See note *.) The dough will be shiny and sticky. Place it in an oiled bowl, oil the top, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. Place it in the fridge and chill it 1 hour. Deflate the dough and return it to the fridge for another hour. Place the dough on a well-floured surface and press it into a rectangle. Fold it twice, as if it was a letter, then fold it again. Round the corners and dust it lightly. Wrap it in plastic wrap and place in a bag. Chill it in the fridge 6-24 hours. At this point, you might as well leave it overnight and finish it the next day.Remove the dough from the fridge and shape it into a loaf. Place it in a greased brioche mold and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until the dough reaches the top of the pan, about 2 hours.Preheat the oven to 350°F 30 min. before baking. Place a baking stone or a sheet on the lowest rack. Glaze the loaf with 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp. milk. Bake 35-40 min., or until the interior of the loaf reaches 190°F. Let it cool 10 min. in the mold, then place on a rack and cool 2 hours.
***I add the extra butter but after making it twice... now I think you really don't need it. And when it states that you need to let it cool for 2 hours...let it cool for 2 hours because it is still cooking and gets flakier as it cools. I was impatient and it was doughy in the middle (the temp. was correct in the center I just didn't let it continue to cook). I didn't get the finished product picture because it was eaten but here are the crumbs!!!

After making most of the bread I decided that I could not let Scott go another day with that long hair and gave him his much needed summer buzz (sans Mohawk). See the difference!!!

Church was great, filled with great lessons and a much needed kick in the rear about the importance of genealogy. If I can take time to blog or look at blogs, then I can take time to Index at least 50 names in a week (15 minutes a day isn't much).

"Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness" D&C 58:27

Check out this link http://familysearchindexing.org/

and start indexing with me!!!

When we got home from church Art and Tina came over to have a BBQ and play games. It was fun!!! We played Star Wars Trivia (the guys are really good at it! I wasn't much help), one game of jungle Uno (I had to fit that game in there somehow..I love it!!!) and of course Settlers of Catan. (I won yeah!!!Silent cheer for myself!!!) The kids were so occupied playing wii or outside that it was quite enjoyable. They didn't even fight!! What a shocker!!!

After everyone left and the kids went to bed I got to play wii. That is a workout!!!

Hope you enjoyed today as much as I did. And as a special treat I tried to take a picture of myself (the baby is attached)!!! Miss you all and can't wait to hear from you:)