~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen
Make one-half recipe the day before. Dough needs to refrigerate overnight.
Makes 6, using 6 small tart pans. The rest of dough and pastry cream can be used to make Cherry Snails.
Brioche dough (half recipe measurements are in parentheses). Use whole recipe if you wish to bake a load of brioche bread or use for any other purpose.
1 1/2 cups (3/4 cup) lukewarm water
1 tablespoon (1-1/2 teaspoons) Active Dry, or Quick-Rise yeast
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons (1-1/2 to 1-3/4 teaspoons) kosher salt
8 (4) large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (1/4 cup) honey
1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks (3/4 cup or 1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
7 1/2 cups (3-3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
Mix the yeast, salt, eggs honey and melted butter with the water in a 5-quart bowl, or lidded (not airtight) food container.
Mix in the flour, using a spoon or stand mixer until all of the flour is incorporated but do not knead.
Cover (not airtight), and allow to sit at room temperature for about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. (If you use cold eggs the initial rise can be very slow. Using eggs that have come to room temperature helps.)
Refrigerate the dough overnight and use over the next five days. (The dough can be frozen in 1 pound portions for 4 weeks).
Pastry Cream (Can be made a day ahead) Vanilla pudding may be substituted but I highly recommend using this recipe!
1 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon extract)
1/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
3 large egg yolks
1-1/2 tablespoon butter
Place milk in medium saucepan over medium heat. Split and scrape the vanilla bean, and add bean to pan along with scrapings. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in separate bowl, beat together sugar, cornstarch and yolks until mixture turns pale yellow. Very gradually pour milk into yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Place mixture back into the saucepan and return to medium heat and whisk continually until mixture thickens and just comes to a boil being careful not to let it get too thick. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter. Remove vanilla bean. Pour cream into a bowl, and place plastic wrap directly over the cream. This will prevent a skin from forming while the cream cools. Place in refrigerator to cool.
Danish-Style Pastries
Brioche Dough
Pastry Cream
1/2 cup of your favorite preserves
1 egg white
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
On the day you wish to bake the muffins, remove a 1 pound portion of brioche dough from the container (about the size of a small cantaloupe). This recipe may use slightly less.
Place six small removable-bottom tart pans on a rimmed baking sheet. Pat a small egg sized piece of brioche dough into each of the tart pans and press evenly to fit bottom, also pressing dough up the sides. Use floured hands, if necessary.
Cover the pans lightly with plastic wrap or waxed paper and let rest for about 1 1/2 hours or until soft and puffed.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375° and center a rack in the middle of the oven
Spoon about 1/4 cup of pastry cream into each tart pan and spread evenly over the bottom.
Top with about 1 tablespoon of preserves, spreading just short of the edge of pastry cream.
Whisk together the sugar and egg white and then add the almonds to coat. Add about 1 teaspoon of the mixture on top of the preserves, spreading slightly.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes, switching racks and rotating the muffin pans for even baking. Baking time with vary depending on your oven.
Cool in the pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes, then remove from the tart pans and cool completely. Best eaten at room temperature the same day but can be covered and refrigerated for a day or two.
Brioche Recipe Adapted from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day