Brioche Peanut Butter and Cherry Jam Sandwiches
Use frozen or fresh cherries and tart cherry juice to make the cherry jam for these classic peanut butter sandwiches. For a quicker meal, use purchased brioche—or your favourite bread—instead of preparing the brioche from scratch.
Brioche
1/3 cup (75 mL) warm water
1/4 oz (10 g) active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups (625 mL) cake flour
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt
6 large eggs
10 oz (280 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Agar Cherry Jam
3 tablespoons (45 mL) agar flakes (a natural, vegetarian substitute for gelatin, found at Chinese supermarkets and natural foods stores)
1/3 cup (75 mL) tart cherry juice
2 cups (500 mL) cherries, frozen and thawed or fresh, mashed or chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon juice
Peanut butter
Brioche (2-day process)
Combine the water and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir until the yeast is completely dissolved and set aside.
Sift together the cake and all-purpose flours, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the eggs and beat for one minute at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Slowly add the dissolved yeast and continue beating at a slow speed for five minutes. Stop the machine, scrape any dough off the hook and beat at medium-high speed for five more minutes.
Add 1/4 of the butter at a time, beating about one minute after each addition. Once all the butter is added, beat for an additional 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a large floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm space until doubled in size, about three hours.
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and gently work the air out by folding the dough over several times while lightly pressing down on it. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Generously butter two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. With floured hands, divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles that fit into the loaf pans. Place the dough in the loaf pans. Let the dough rise again, covered, in a warm place for three hours or until it is a half inch above the top of the pans.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake the two loaves in the centre of the oven until they are well browned on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove the brioche from the oven and immediately turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Agar Cherry Jam
In a medium saucepan, stir together agar flakes and juice. Bring to a simmer. When agar flakes are dissolved, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook for one minute, then pour into sterilized jars and seal. Keep refrigerated for up to one month.
Assembly
Cut a piece of brioche in half, lengthwise. Spread desired amount of cherry jam and peanut butter on each side of the brioche. Place brioche peanut butter and cherry jam sandwiches together and serve.
