One French bakery prepares the brioches in loaf form and when cold it is cut in slices and steeped in orange syrup.  Then again the brioche is spread with jam and then covered with icing or the brioche may be steeped with prepared syrup and then dipped in a batter and fried golden brown in hot fat.  Spread with jam and serve with orange or lemon sauce.

The actual preparation of the brioche involves very little trouble and can be made from bread dough on baking day.  Now one point in making these sweet breads—­there is just the same trick as in moulding the loaf of bread.  One can learn by careful attention to details and with practice.  Some stress may well be laid upon the lightness of the dough; for heavy, overrich dough that is poorly baked is injurious to health.

WATER ICING

Six tablespoonfuls of confectioner’s sugar and sufficient water (boiling) to moisten.

BREST BREAD

Roll the dough into three strands about one inch thick and ten inches long.  Fasten the three strands together and then braid.  Place on a well-greased pan and let rise.  Wash with egg and milk and then bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven.  Spread with jelly and then ice with water icing.  Sprinkle with slightly browned cocoanut.

TO MAKE BRIOCHE USING BREAD DOUGH

When the bread is ready to put in the pan cut off one pound and place the dough in a bowl.  Now place in a separate bowl

  Yolks of two eggs,
  One-half cup shortening,
  Three-quarter cupful sugar.

Cream until light and frothy, then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, also

  One-half cup of milk,
  Four cups of flour,
  One pound piece of yeast raised dough.

Work or knead until smooth and elastic.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise for three hours; now turn on board, divide into eight pieces and mould into balls.  Cover and let rise for ten minutes.  Now roll out one-half inch thick.  Brush with shortening, strew with brown sugar and nuts.  Roll like jelly roll and then flatten well with rolling pin.  Place in a greased pan, cover and let rise for one-half hour.  Now cut down the entire length of the dough, leaving two inches on each end.  Wash with egg wash and bake twenty minutes in hot oven.  Sprinkle with sugar, then return to oven five minutes.

SWEET DOUGHS

In the days of long ago, yeast, ammonia, pearl ash, honey water and a treacle mixture were used to lighten cakes—­before the time of dependable baking powder.

In Europe the housewife makes from bread dough delicious cakes with yeast.  These provide splendid variety.  They include savarins, babas, and yeast-raised fruit cakes.

Many women fail in making these delicious goodies because they do not realize that the addition of large amounts of sugar, fruit, shortening and eggs to yeast dough, unless carefully handled, is apt to produce heavy, moist cakes that lack the light, velvety texture which makes cake a success.