Brioche aux Pépites de Chocolat

Brioche is a subtly sweet eggy yeast dough, kneaded with added butter.  The addition of semi-sweet or dark mini chocolate chips elevates it to favorite status for breakfast or snack time. 

Happy birthday, Sunday Supper!  This week we are celebrating the second anniversary of the creation of Sunday Supper, a movement dedicated to getting folks back around the family dinner table, eating together.  Along with recipes, we are sharing our favorite Sunday Supper memory from the last year.  For my recipe, I decided to go back to my first Sunday Supper post and choose someone else’s recipe from that list to adapt.  I first participated just over a year ago and the theme was “bucket list.”  I tackled lemon soufflé.  As I looked through those recipes, I realized that one of my favorite bloggers, Nancy from Gotta Get Baked, had made something that was also on my bucket list:  Brioche.  So yay!  Another year and another challenge to scratch off the list!

My favorite Sunday Supper memory really speaks about the hearts of the men and women who form this group.  It’s not even post, theme or recipe related.  One night, a couple of months back, one of our British members wrote a heartfelt plea on the Sunday Supper Facebook group wall.

What followed were jokes and commiserations and virtual handholding.  When the next morning rolled around, she came back to thank everyone for seeing her through.  The thread ended with a comment from our wonderful leader, Isabel from Family Foodie.

And, Isabel is exactly right:  That is what makes this group special.

And, now on to the brioche!  I’ve given these special sweet rolls their French name because, when we lived in France, they were my daughters’ first choice of snack when we’d walk down to the local bakery of an afternoon, and that brings back another lovely memory for me.  You can’t beat brioche with little chocolate chips for a great breakfast or snack!

Make sure to scroll down and see all the other celebratory recipes and favorite Sunday Supper memories we have for you today.

Ingredients
For the dough:
4 cups or 500g flour
1 packet (1/4 oz or 7g) dried yeast
2/3 cup or 155ml milk
1/3 cup or 70g sugar
1/2 cup or 110g butter, very slightly softened
2 eggs
100g mini semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

To decorate before baking:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
About 3 tablespoons or 30g pearl sugar

Method
Warm your milk in the microwave by zapping it for about 30-40 seconds.  Sprinkle on the dried yeast and one teaspoon of the sugar.  Stir gently and set aside for about 10 minutes.

In the bowl of your standing mixer, measure your flour and add in the rest of the sugar and the two eggs.  Pour in the milk/yeast mixture.

Mix well and keep mixing until you have a nice homogeneous dough.  This gets pretty stiff and you may need to hold the mixer down if it starts to travel.  Cut your butter into chunks and add about one-third of them to the dough.

Knead, in your mixer, until the butter is fully incorporated. (You can do this by hand but it takes some muscle and time.)

Add the second third of the butter to the dough and knead until incorporated.

Add the final third of the butter and knead again until incorporated.

You should have a stretchy, silky, buttery dough.

Form a ball with the dough and leave it in the bowl.  No need to grease the bowl, it's buttery enough.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about an hour or until it doubles in volume.  (If you are living in a cold place, fill your sink with a few inches of hot water and set the covered bowl in there.)

Meanwhile, prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by lining it with stiff paper cups.

Punch down the dough and remove to a clean work surface.  Pour on the mini chocolate chips.  Fold and knead the dough until the chips are evenly distributed.

They look like they don't want to mix it but perseverance here is key.

Cut the dough into 12 reasonably similar pieces.

Roll them in balls and set them inside the prepared muffin cups.

Set aside for about an hour in a warm place to rise for the second time.  (If you live in a cold place, you can do the hot water in the sink trick again but do be careful to put just a little water so it doesn’t come up and wet the stiff paper cups and dough when you put the muffin pan in.)

When you are about 15 minutes from the end of the second rising, preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Beat your egg yolk with the tablespoon of milk.  When the brioche are ready to bake, brush them lightly with the egg yolk/milk mixture and sprinkle on the pearl sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the brioche are golden and sound a bit hollow when tapped.

Enjoy!

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Sunday Supper!  It's been an honor and a privilege to be a part of this wonderful group.  Look at all the other celebratory recipes and special memories my fellow members have shared!

Brilliant Breads and Breakfast Fare:

• Brioche aux Pépites de Chocolat from Food Lust People Love
• Broccoli, Potato & Cheese Egg Cups from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Celebration Strawberry Crepes from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Homemade Brioche from Masala Herb
• Onion Cheddar Cheese Focaccia from Flour On My Face
• Poached Pear Bread from Hip Foodie Mom

Amazing Appetizers and Cocktails:

• Blood Orange Gin Fizz from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Blue Cheese Walnut Tarts from Magnolia Days
• Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Stuffed Butternut Squash from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Cheesy Twists from What Smells So Good?
• Key Lime Pie Martini from girlichef
• Pizza Dip from The Food Army Wife
• Slow Cooker Party Mix from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos

Spectacular Soups and Salads:

• Creamy, Tangy Bacon Salad Dressing from Daily Dish Recipes
• Day at the Beach Healthy Tuna Salad from Shockingly Delicious
• Low Carb Spicy Chunky Vegetable Beef Chili from Yours and Mine Are Ours
• Luscious Fruit Salad from Pescetarian Journal
• Quinoa and Buffalo Chicken Salad from In the Kitchen with KP

Enticing Entrees:

• Carne de Porco Alentejana | Portuguese Pork and Clams from Family Foodie
• Chicken Shami Kebab from Soni’s Food
• Chicken and Rice Dinner in the Crock from Momma’s Meals
• Curried Chicken from The Foodie Patootie
• Healthy Chicken Tetrazzini from Citronlimette
• Imagination Stew from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Orecchiette with Chicken, Brocccoli, Mushrooms and Onions from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Runny Egg Risotto from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Sautéed Chicken with Tarragon Cream Sauce plus Arugula, Radicchio and Escarole Saladfrom Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Seafood Stew from Healthy. Delicious.
• Spice-Crusted Fish Tacos with Confetti Salsa from The Weekend Gourmet
• Spicy Roasted Squash and Wild Rice Bake from Curious Cuisiniere
• Spicy Shrimp Tempura Rolls from kimchi MOM
• Spinach Proscuitto Macaroni and Cheese with Walnut Topping from Noshing with the Nolands
• Tuscan Chicken Spinach Soup with Roasted Red Pepper from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Decadent Desserts:

• Azuki Red Bean Ice Cream from The Ninja Baker
• Banana Pudding Parfaits from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Birthday Cake Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Caramel Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars from Pies and Pots
• Chocolate Mousse Torte from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cinnamon Sugar Churros and Chocolate Sauce from Neighborfood
• Crumb Cake Brownies from Table for Seven
• Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Pops from Ruffles & Truffles
• Gluten-Free Epiphany Cake from Happy Baking Days
• Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut Cookies by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Happy Birthday Cake Batter Truffles from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Kahlua Toffee Ice Cream Cake from Webicurean
• Mini Chocolate Bundt Cake with Raspberry Sauce from Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes from Basic N Delicious
• S’mores Snack Cake from Alida’s Kitchen

Broccoli Chicken Couscous Salad

Lean chicken breasts pan-fried till golden, lightly steamed broccoli, tomatoes and radishes in a quick lemon yogurt dressing with red chili makes a tasty, healthy meal after weeks of indulgence. 

This salad is made up of the vegetables I had on hand so please use the ingredient amounts as a guide and feel free to substitute your favorites, add more or omit whatever doesn’t suit you.

Ingredients (to serve two as a main course or four as a starter)
For the salad:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Olive oil
1 cup or 150g couscous (medium grain)
1/2 medium-sized head of broccoli
9-10 small sharp radishes
9-10 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup or about 50g sprouted mung beans
Large handful cilantro or fresh coriander leaves

For the dressing:
Juice 1/2 large lemon (about 1/8 cup or 30ml)
1 small purple onion
1-2 small hot red chilies
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1/8 cup or 30ml olive oil
Sea salt

Method
Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and season liberally with salt and the ground cumin.  Stir it around so the pieces are seasoned all over.

Heat up a non-stick skillet and pan-fry the chicken until golden on all sides using just a tiny drizzle of olive oil.   Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Put a pot of water on to heat for steaming your broccoli.

Cut the broccoli into florets then cut the florets in quarters.

Steam them until they are still crunchy.  This takes just a few minutes.  Remove your steamer with broccoli from the hot pot and set aside to cool.  Reserve the water for making the couscous.

Put your couscous in a pot or metal bowl and add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Add just enough boiling water (From the broccoli steaming pot, if you’ve plan ahead!) to cover the couscous plus a bit extra.  Put the lid on and leave it while you get on with the rest of the salad.

Slice your radishes and halve your cherry tomatoes.  Chop the cilantro very roughly.  You want some nice big leaves still.  Finely mince the red chilies and thinly slice your onion.

In a bowl that will be big enough for tossing your whole salad, add in lemon juice, the onion and the chilies.  Let them steep for a few minutes.  This takes the sharpness out of the onion and infuses the juice with the heat of the chilies.

Add in the plain yogurt and stir.   Now drizzle in the olive oil and stir well.  Give the whole thing a small sprinkle of salt.  Set aside.

By now your couscous should be done.  Remove the lid and fluff it up with a fork.  Leave the lid off and allow it to cool further.

Add your radishes, tomatoes and mung beans to the salad bowl.

Heap on the couscous.

Toss well to coat everything with dressing.  Now add in cooled broccoli and the cilantro.  Toss again.

Finally, add in the chicken pieces and toss for the last time.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Brown Sugar Muffins #MuffinMonday

Mashed, buttered sweet potatoes add flavor, natural sweetness and moisture to these delicious muffins.  The hint of vanilla and cinnamon, along with the brown sugar, make these perfect for breakfast or a midmorning snack.

As this recipe goes live, I will be flying back to Dubai after enjoying more than three weeks of fun and family in Rhode Island.  What a beautiful state, truly.  When our elder daughter first mentioned Rhode Island School of Design, back in spring of 2008, and we visited the school that summer, I had no idea what a precious part of our lives this place would become.  That was further cemented when her little sister was accepted at RISD two years later.  It has been our pleasure to explore New England from our little rented home in Tiverton in the south, to as far east as Plymouth and west to Newport, with a little Providence and Boston thrown in for good measure.

If you haven’t visited New England before, I highly recommend it, especially Rhode Island, even in the wintertime.

Ingredients
1 whole sweet potato (about 5-6 oz or 140-170g)
1/4 cup or 60g room temperature butter
2 cups or 250g flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2/3 cup or 130g dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
1 cup or 240ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method
Scrub your sweet potato and poke it all over with the tip of a sharp knife.  Microwave on high for three minutes, turning it over halfway through.  Give it a gentle squeeze to see if it feels soft.  Microwave for another minute on the first side if necessary.  Remove the peel and mash the inside with a fork.

Add in the butter and stir it around so it melts.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your muffin pan by greasing it or lining it paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon.

In another bowl, whisk together the cooled, mashed sweet potato, milk, eggs and vanilla.

Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold them together until just mixed.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake in the preheated oven about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for a few minutes and then remove the muffins to cool completely.

Enjoy!

For those who are interested, I leave you with some random shots from our fabulous three weeks in New England.

Tiverton House - highly recommended  - hosts are wonderful.  Link here.
And, no, I have not been compensated in any way for saying this!

Christmas parade in Newport - complete with Santas riding Harleys

Newport Harbor

Quaint shops in Newport.

Roasting marshmallows at home

Every sunset seemed to outdo the next

Sailboats on the river by our house

The purported Plymouth Rock.  We've been told since that the real rock is underneath this one.

Mayflower II.  This is a reproduction of the Mayflower, built in England and sailed across in 1957.
If you come in the summer, you can climb aboard and imagine the voyage.

Fancy columns commemorating Plymouth Rock

The First Baptist Church in all of the United States, Providence, RI (1638)

Playing in the snow!