Baking Galette Bressane at Home
Le Pain de Joel Robuchon in Tokyo packs its shelves with French classics like croissants and financiers, but a regional dessert called Galette Bressane recently caught the attention of visiting bakers, 177milkstreet.com reported.
Traditionally made from an ultra-rich brioche dough, the pastry requires kneading in heaps of softened butter after building gluten structure. Australian chef and cookbook author Brendan Liew included a streamlined version in his book Tokyo Local: Cult Recipes from the Streets that Make the City.
Liew’s recipe scales back butter and eggs while increasing hydration for a lighter dough that mixes in half the time of standard brioche. Milk Street recipe developers tested the method and adjusted flour-to-liquid ratios to perform correctly with American flour.
Testers discovered that keeping the dough supple and sticky by using the paddle attachment rather than a dough hook prevents the buns from baking into squat shapes. The proofed dough is divided, lightly rounded, and allowed to rise to half again its original size before being deeply dimpled.
“The dough balloons with oven spring, so it should look like an inverted Frisbee before filling,” said Matthew Card, Milk Street’s Creative Director for Recipes and Products, 177milkstreet.com reported.
Baking Steps and Toppings
An egg wash and a liberal dusting of sugar applied before baking provide the pastry with its signature gloss and crunch. The dimples hold a sweetened crème fraîche topping that bakes directly into the feathery light brioche bun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Galette Bressane?
Galette Bressane is a regional French dessert originating from the Bresse region, traditionally consisting of a rich brioche base topped with cream or butter and coarse sugar.
How does Brendan Liew’s recipe differ from traditional brioche?
Liew’s recipe uses less butter and fewer eggs paired with a higher hydration level, cutting the traditional kneading and mixing time almost in half.
Why does the dough require a paddle attachment instead of a dough hook?
Using the paddle keeps the dough supple and much stickier than standard brioche, which stops the baked buns from turning out flat or squat.
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