Brioche Goubard

[Woods]

Hello. Is anyone familiar with this form of brioche cake? It is briefly described in Larousse Gastronomique but I would like to find more details both in technique and history. Thanks. Woods

[panini]

Woods,
Sorry no one has had any information. I will have my wife ask in her weekly call to family in Paris.
I'm not familiar with it, it's a very old name. It could be named after someone.
pan

[Woods]

Thanks Panini,

I had a feeling that would be the case. Maybe if I can ever peruse a 18th or 19th century baking book I might get lucky.

Woods

[Zukerig]

JWoods, I notice that you had posted a similar inquiry a couple of months ago on the Meilleur du Chef forum!

I believe it’s an admirable ambition to go into the baking attic to search out antique recipes, dust them off, and update them for re-creating in modern kitchens. In my edition of Larousse Gastronomique, the item in question is captioned under the photo as “Brioche Goubard.” However, in the body-text it is referred to as “Brioche Goubaud.” Slight difference in the spelling, but which of the two is most authentic?

Traditionally, brioches have been cornerstones of boulangeries: “Mauvaise brioche, mauvaise maison,” say the French!

The preparation of this brioche seems quite straightforward, at least according to the method outlined in Larousse. You’ll need a standard, unfluted (buttered) flan ring in which to fit the first portion of brioche dough. I think the primary consideration is what you’re going to use for a “salpiçon of preserved fruit.” My suggestion is that you either purchase a jar of premium, imported fruit from France or Italy. (The ultimate I’ve eaten is produced by La Salamandre in France; they market superb prunes in Armagnac & Mirabelle plums in a fruit-based eau-de-vie.) Last year I made a batch of scones filled with Italian Morello-cherry preserves. I chose to use preserves (rather than jam or a fruit spread) because it contained fruit particles and was less syrupy.

Alternatively, make your own salpiçon. The brilliant Jacques Pépin has offered a delectable blueberry-plum adaptation:
http://www.wchstv.com/gmarecipes/phylotartfrui.shtml

In pursuit of old French cookery books, you may contact owner M. G. Baudon at this Parisian bookstore:

Librairie Gourmande
4, rue Dane
75005 Paris
Tel: 33-43-54-37-27
Fax: 33-43-54-31-16