Brioche or pandoro? Something with a cake like honeycomb crumb

March 2, 2024 - 5:48am

StarlightFarm

Brioche or pandoro? Something with a cake like honeycomb crumb

Hi fellow bakers,

I remember as a child (35 years ago or so) eating brioche from a Normandy village baker - charmingly a watermill where the bread happened to be baked in a wood fired oven and no fuss was made of it, before this became trendy...

They produced a brioche that was yellow and very buttery with a honeycomb crumb much more like a Madeira or pound cake than a tearable bread.

During the pandemic I was reading here and produced a brioche that was close but can't locate the recipe anymore. The writer focused on the need to hand knead the butter to get a more honeycomb structure to the crumb. I wondered if a pandoro recipe might also achieve something similar. I want there to be an overall slight sweetness but heavier.. pandoro always seems so light and I'd rather have something indulgent easy to toast as well as just eat as is with more butter and delicious preserves.... :) Any ideas folks? Many thanks

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pmccool

Mar 2 2024 - 6:28am

Here's a brioche recipe that might suit

The recipe is from the Serious Eats site. While you could knead it by hand it will be much easier if kneaded with a mixer.

Paul

StarlightFarm

Mar 2 2024 - 7:31am

Thanks Paul. The crumb in

Thanks Paul. The crumb in this recipe is still very breast rather than cakey... I'm looking for something with a much more dense honeycomb crumb structure with small dense bubbles rather than super airy, light and tearable. I remember when I made my original brioche that was going in the right direction that it was made with only eggs and butter no milk or orange juice or such. That seems to make a big difference as I recall...