Brioche Mousseline with Strawberry Sauce

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A delightful and elegant way to showcase the year’s first-appearing berry crop.

Adapted from Lydie Marshall

Serves 8-12

Ingredients: Brioche

1 tablespoon yeast
3 tablespoons warm water
1 tsp sugar
3½ cups cake flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp salt

6 large eggs
2 sticks unsalted butter, very soft
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons sugar
Powdered sugar

Ingredients: Sauce

2 lbs fresh strawberries
¼ - ½ cup sugar    
2 tablespoons Licor 43, or rum or brandy
1/8 tsp salt

Instructions: Brioche

  1. Combine the yeast, water and 1 tsp sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Set aside for 15 minutes.
  2. Whisk together flour, ½ cup sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  3. On medium-low speed, gradually beat the eggs and flour mixture alternately into the yeast, until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes.
  4. Increase speed to medium, and beat in the 2 sticks of soft butter gradually, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, for at least 5 more minutes. The more you beat, the lighter the brioche.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until double in bulk, 2-4 hours.
  6. Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter. Brush the insides of two 8” brioche molds with the melted butter, and then coat with the 2 tablespoons of sugar.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until the center of the dough has risen almost to the top of the molds.
  8. Preheat oven to 400°F, and move the rack to the lower 1/3 of the oven.
  9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the brioche comes out clean.
  10. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, invert and unmold. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top through a fine sieve. Wait at least 30 minutes more before slicing and serving.

Instructions: Sauce

  1. Trim and wash the strawberries. Roughly chop.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, ¼ cup of the sugar, the liquor and salt. Stir thoroughly to coat all the berries. Put aside to macerate for an hour, stirring occasionally.
  3. Pour into a large skillet, and cook over medium heat, mashing with a slotted spatula. As the sauce cooks, taste for sugar – the amount you will need depends on how sweet the berries are.
  4. Continue cooking and mashing until the sauce is thick. Serve hot over slices of brioche.

My husband says: You’ll want a couple of fluted 8” brioche molds for this: Gobel is a good brand. If you only have one, you can refrigerate half the dough; when ready to bake, give it a quick knead to warm it up, then let it rise and bake as above. I haven’t tried, but you might get this to work in an angel food or Bundt cake mold, as well.

Licor 43 (Cuarenta y tres) is a Spanish-made liqueur. Try a little poured over vanilla ice cream!