Test Kitchen Five - Buttermilk Brioche

Clara, my great grandmother, always had a cow and always made her own butter. It was the duty of any visiting grand child - provided they could reach the handle - to work the butter churn. Clara would sit them down by the churn, drape aprons and dish cloths over their clothes, and put them to work splop.. splop.. splopping.. the paddle up and down into the clabbered milk to separate the butter from the milk. Little spittles of sour milk would spray up out of the churn and mist the poor unfortunate child's face.... the meticulously protected clothes never seeing a drop.

When one child would tire, she would sit the next down, barricade them against the spray and set them to churning.

"Is it ready yet?"

"No child... not yet..."

"...but you didn't even look!"

"I can tell by the sound. Keep churning."

 The result was fresh butter that Clara would put up into fancy butter molds, and the rest..well... that's buttermilk.

I used to watch my mom and dad drink buttermilk, and eat buttermilk with chunks of fresh cornbread crumbled up in it. They always looked near rapturous as they tipped their glass up and drained the last drops out....

I have a confession... I can't drink buttermilk....
I can't even look at it in a glass. I've tried - honestly tried - to drink it.  That thick, chunky liquid just starts my stomach to turning. The slightly "spoiled" odor triggers some ancient self preservation gene and the gag reflex kicks in.... and it wont go down...

Now, cooking.. is another story altogether. Nothing gives quick breads body and depth like buttermilk. I even make a buttermilk lemon pie that is to die for.... really...

Buttermilk too, adds a layer of flavor when you're trying to cook or bake lactose free.
Which is where the Buttermilk Brioche comes in. I was looking for a way to get a full bodied, buttery bread - without using butter.

The recipe is a variation on a classic brioche, I've made a few changes in preparation and proportions to come up with a buttery, yeasty loaf - full of cinnamon-y, raisin-y goodness that is lactose free.

Cinnamon-Raisin Buttermilk Brioche
Makes 1 loaf
Ingredients
1/4 Cup very Warm Water (about 110 degrees)
1/2 Cup Cultured Buttermilk  - Heat until simmering but not boiling. You don't want the buttermilk to break
1 Tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
5 1/2 to 6 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
3 Large Eggs At Room Temperature
1/4 Cup Sugar
4 Ounces Butter Substitute (Smart Balance (c) or other High Fat - Low Water Suvstitute)
3/4 Cup Currants
1 Tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Egg White Beaten with 1 Tablespoon Buttermilk for Glaze
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Large Mixing Bowl
Rolling Pin
Flat Surface
3 1-Gallon Zipper Bags
Plastic Wrap
13" x 9" x 2" Baking Pan

• In the large bowl, add the water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast - allow to bloom (about 5 minutes)
• Add the Flour, buttermilk, whole eggs, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
• Mix with you hands to form a very soft dough
• Gather the dough up and begin smacking it back into the bowl.
• Add a little flour and knead it in a little between smacks
• "Smack" the dough into the bowl 100 times - or - until the dough becomes smooth and no longer sticky
• Lightly coat the bowl and dough with oil
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to double in size (About 1 Hour)
• Punch the dough down and divide into 3 equal portions
• Place the portions into separate bags and place in the freezer for 45 minutes
• When the dough is cold and firm - take each dough ball and roll out on a flat surface into 1' x 1' squares (They will be about 1/2" thick)
• Sprinkle each square with 1 Teaspoon Ground cinnamon and 1/3 of the currants
• Stack the layers on top of another
• Beginning with the side closest to you, roll (jellyroll style) into a log
• Pinch the seams to seal and place in a lightly oiled pan
• Allow to rise until double in sized (About 45 minutes to 1 hour)
• Preheat the oven to 350
• Beat together the egg white and the tablespoon of buttermilk; brush the top and sides of the loaf
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes - or until the loaf gives a nice solid "Thunk" when thumped
• Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Buttermilk

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