CNYEats A Taste of Utica Parmesan/Cheddar Brioches

This recipe is wordy.  Don’t get nervous, it doesn’t take any special baking talents to finish with  beautiful little cheese bread muffins.  Be advised, you should begin this recipe a day ahead. 

UPDATE:  Note to all bread makers – The California Raisin Board is hosting it’s annual bread making contest.  Here is the link for entry.

Our recipe on page 60 of the book “A Taste of Utica”

was posted by Chris and begins by telling us the trick of the recipe:

“The trick with my recipe is you put grated and CUBED cheddar and Parmesan in the dough.  When baked you end up with these cheesy pockets in the brioches.”

Parmesan/Cheddar Brioches

• The Starter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup warm milk or water (105 deg)
• 1 (1/4 ox) pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
• 1/2 cup sifted flour (sift before measuring)
• The Dough
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 TBS sugar 1 TBS hot milk or water
• 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups sifted flour (sift before measuring)
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch slices and well softened
• 1/2 lb Parmesan _ half of it grated, half in 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/2 lb sharp cheddar – half grated and half in 1/2 inch cubes

Special equipment:  a standing mixer with whisk and dough-hook attachments.

Starter:  Stir together sugar and milk in a small bowl.  Sprinkle yeast over mix and let stand until foamy, 10 minutes.  Stir flour into yeast, forming a soft dough and cut a deep X across the top.  Let starter rise, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature, 1 hour.

Dough:  Combine salt, sugar, and hot milk in a small bowl and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.  Fit mixer with whisk attachment, and then beat 2 eggs at medium-low speed until fluffy.  Add sugar mixture and beat until combined well.  With motor running, add in order, beating after each addition: 

• 1/2 cup flour
• remaining egg,
• 1/2 cup flour,
• about one fourth of butter,
• and remaining 1/2 cup flour.
• Beat mixture 1 minute.

Remove bowl from mixer and fit mixer with dough hook attachment.  Spread starter onto dough with a rubber spatula and return bowl to mixer.  Beat dough at medium-high speed 6 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.  Add remaining butter, cubed and grated cheeses and beat 1 minute, or until butter and cheeses are incorporated. 

Lightly butter a large bowl and scrape dough into that bowl with a rubber spatula.  Lightly dust dough with flour to prevent crust forming.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until more than doubled in bulk, 2 to 3 hours.

Punch the dough down and lightly dust with flour.  Cover, again, with plastic wrap and CHILL dough, punching down after the first hour, at least 12 hours.

Place a pie pan on bottom shelf of oven.  Butter muffin tins generously.  Take a small lump of dough, dust wit ha little flour and roll in your hands into a ball.  Place in muffin tin, dough should come just above rim of muffin tin.  Repeat until tins are filled.  “Dock” each top with a sharp knife.  Cover pan with linen towel and let brioches rise at least 1/2 hour.  They will plump up nicely.

Preheat oven to 425 F for at least 15 minutes. *Remember, your pie pan is on the bottom shelf preheating with the oven. 

Place the muffin tins on middle shelf of oven and splash about 1/2 cup water into the pie pan on the bottom shelf.  This will create steam in the oven to help rise the brioches.  Bake at 425 F for 15 – 20 minutes or until brioches are golden brown.  Remove to wire racks, let cool completely. 

“Enjoy with eggs for breakfast or have a hearty red wine as a snack…These are quite good.”

The cheese offers a wonderful aftertaste to these moist little baked breads.  Another Taste Of Utica recipe that we will see time and time again on our table.

The following are memories of Utica by Michael Labombarda

“The Goodie Shop: Was an old time breakfast and lunch spot.  I loved their toast and can still hear it popping out of their industrial toaster (maybe an early Dualit?).  Plus the green multiple milk shake blenders.

They had great burgers, fries and chocolate shakes too. I loved the way they used to wrap their take out sandwiches in paper.

You could either sit at the counter or in a booth.

I can still see the guy with the glasses who owned the joint.  He always wore his infamous Goodie Shop overcoat.

My dad went there every day for years when his pharmacy was at 906 Bleecker and then right next door – both have been torn down now”.

Joanne