Orange-Apricot Better Brioche Recipe

This soft, fruited bread is excellent toasted for breakfast, with tea, or even used for a ham sandwich.

Based on a classic brioche but made healthier by using olive oil in place of butter, this bread includes plenty of sprouted whole wheat flour and dried fruit. It is delicious and healthy. The orange zest is optional and the apricots may be replaced with raisins and cinnamon for a sweeter, less tart flavor. More on Baking with Sprouted Wheat Flour.

Yield: 1 Loaf

Equipment: Folding Proofer, loaf pan. A stand mixer is convenient for kneading the soft, sticky dough.

Timing:

Ingredients (Part 1)

	Quantity	Grams
Dried apricots, diced*	1/3 Cups	50
Honey	1 tsp	7
Water	2 tsp	10

1. Soak the fruit. Combine the diced apricots with the honey and water and stir to distribute the honey evenly. Cover and allow to soak for one hour or up to overnight.

Ingredients (Part 2)

	Volume	Grams	Baker’s %
Sprouted whole-wheat flour	1 Cup lightly spooned	110	45 %
Bread Flour	1 Cup lightly spooned	130	55 %
Instant yeast	1 ½ tsp	5	2,0 %
Salt	¾ tsp	4	1,8 %
Water, 30-32°C	½ Cup	120	50 %
Honey	2 Tbs	40	18 %
Egg, room temperature	1 Large	50	21 %
Olive oil	1/4 Cup	55	23 %
soaked apricotes from Part 1	all
optional: orange zest	½-1 tsp
Beaten egg for glaze	1 Tbs

2. Get ready. Set up the Proofer with water in the tray and the thermostat at 29 ºC. Grease and flour the loaf pan or line it with parchment. Measure the olive oil and set it near the kneading area or mixer.

3. Mix the dough. Add the dry ingredients (both flours, salt and yeast) to the mixer bowl and stir to combine. Add the lukewarm water, honey and egg. Mix until all the flour is moistened. The dough will be soft and sticky.

4. Knead. Knead by machine or hand (Bertinet’s slap and fold method may be helpful for this wet dough) for about 3-4 minutes, until the dough forms a ball and starts to hold together.

5. Add the olive oil and apricots. Knead the olive oil into the dough in four parts (1 Tbs ea). Once all the olive oil has been incorporated, add the apricots and knead to combine. Then turn up the mixer to medium-low speed (3 or 4 on a Kitchen Aid) and knead for 5-6 more minutes to restore the smooth texture and fully develop the structure. If kneading by hand, use a bench scraper to help gather the dough off the counter as it will be very sticky.

6. Bulk ferment. Transfer to an oiled 1 quart (or 1 litre) container and ferment the dough for 90 minutes at 29 ºC, or until it is doubled in size, reaching a volume of 4 cups.

7. Shape the loaf. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into five equal pieces (about 113g or 4 oz each) with an oiled, sharp knife. Shape into rounds. Place the rounds side-by-side in the loaf pan and place the pan in the Proofer.

8. Final proof. Allow the loaf to rise until it is about half an inch over the top of the loaf pan, about 1-2 hours at 29 ºC. While the loaf is proofing, preheat the oven to 180 ºC and place a stone (if available) in the lower third of the oven.

9. Glaze and bake the bread. Beat the egg lightly and brush it over the top of the loaf. Bake at 180 ºC for 30-40 minutes, until the bread is nicely browned and reaches an internal temperature of about 90 ºC.

10. Cool and unmould. Cool for ten minutes, then unmould by gently tipping the bread out of its pan. Turn right side up and cool on a rack.