Festive Holiday Brioches Recipe
Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped candied citron
1/4 cup dried currants
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
1 Soften yeast in the warm water. In a mixing bowl beat the butter or margarine, the 1/3 cup sugar, and the salt until fluffy. Add 1 cup of the flour and the milk to the sugar mixture. Separate one of the eggs. Add the egg yolk and the remaining whole eggs to the beaten mixture. (Refrigerate remaining egg white.) Add softened yeast to flour mixture and beat well. Stir in cranberries or cherries, citron, and currants. Stir in remaining flour. Place in a greased bowl. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 2 hours), then refrigerate dough for 6 hours. (Or, omit 2-hour rise and refrigerate dough overnight.)
2 Generously grease twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups. Stir dough. Turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; set 1 portion aside. Divide remaining 3 portions into 8 pieces each (24 pieces total). Roll pieces into balls. Place dough balls in prepared muffin cups. Divide remaining dough into 24 pieces; shape into small balls. With thumb, make an indentation in middle of each large ball. Press a small ball into each indentation.
3 Using a fork, beat together reserved egg white and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Brush over rolls. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes). Bake in a 375° oven 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans. Cool on racks.
2 Generously grease twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups. Stir dough. Turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; set 1 portion aside. Divide remaining 3 portions into 8 pieces each (24 pieces total). Roll pieces into balls. Place dough balls in prepared muffin cups. Divide remaining dough into 24 pieces; shape into small balls. With thumb, make an indentation in middle of each large ball. Press a small ball into each indentation.
3 Using a fork, beat together reserved egg white and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Brush over rolls. Cover; let rise in a warm place until nearly double in size (about 45 minutes). Bake in a 375° oven 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans. Cool on racks.