Brioche
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 1/2 tsp instant/rapid rise dried yeast (other yeasts see Note 1)
- 4 tbsp milk, warm, full fat (Note 2)
- 2 cups plain/all purpose flour (not bread flour, Note 3)
- 3 1/2 tbsp caster/superfine sugar (Note 4)
- 1/2 cup eggs (2 1/2 eggs), lightly whisked, at room temperature (Note 5)
- 1 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt, not table salt Note 6)
- 150g / 10.5 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1.25 / 1/2" pieces, softened (but not melting, Note 7)
Other
- Oil spray, anything neutral flavoured (canola, vegetable, not olive oil)
- 1/2 leftover egg, lighter whisked (Egg Wash, use leftover egg from above)
Instructions
- 1
Dough - Bloom yeast (Note 1): In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp sugar, yeast and milk together. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Dough - Make dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, eggs, salt, rest of the sugar and the foamy yeast. Mix on Speed 1 until ingredients are combined.
- 3
Dough - Mixing Part 1: After the ingredients are combined, then mix on Speed 1 for 5 minutes then on Speed 2 for 10 minutes, (Yes really, 15 minutes, see Note 8!)
- 4
Dough - Slow add butter: With the stand mixer still on Speed 2, drop butter cubes in gradually, over about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, giving the dough a chance to mix most of the butter in. (Note 9)
- 5
Dough - Incorporate butter: Keep mixing until the butter is fully incorporated- about 1 minute. Dough will be pasty and sticky!
- 6
Dough - Mixing Part 2: Then mix on Speed 2 for 20 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every now and then.
- 7
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Rise #1 (2 hrs): Shape the dough into a ball, put it back into the stand mixer bowl. Cover with cling wrap and put it in a warm place for 2 hours until it has doubled in size.
- 8
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Cut into 3: Punch the dough dough to release all the air. Scrape out onto a lightly floured work surface. Fold the outside of the dough in 6 times. Shape into a log then cut into 3 equal portions and shape into a ball (~225g/7.9oz per piece).
- 9
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Fridge (1.5 hrs): Line a deep container or roasting pan with baking/parchment paper lightly sprayed with oil. Place dough on paper, cover with cling wrap/lid and refrigerate for 1.5 hours (Note 12).
- 10
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Braid: Remove dough from fridge. Place on a lightly floured work surface and roll each piece into a 35cm/14" logs. Braid the logs, and tuck the ends under to make them tidy.
- 11
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Loaf pan: Spray a 21.5 x11cm (8.5 x 4.3") loaf pan well coated with oil spray, then place the dough in. Lightly spray cling wrap with oil, then cover the dough.
- 12
Rising, Fridge & Shaping - Rise #2 (3 hrs): Rise in a warm place for 3 hours or until it is just over double in size. (Note 13)
- 13
Baking - Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan) when dough is almost ready.
- 14
Baking - Shelf position: Position shelf so loaf will sit in the lowest 1/3 of the oven.
- 15
Baking - Egg wash: Brush the brioche surface very gently with whisked egg.
- 16
Baking - Bake uncovered 15 min: Bake brioche for 15 minutes, uncovered, until a beautiful deep golden.
- 17
Baking - Bake covered 20 min: Remove from oven. Loosely cover with foil. Bake for a further 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 88°C/190°F. (Note 14)
- 18
Baking - Turn out and cool: Immediately turn brioche out onto a rack. Cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing (or tearing!) to serve (still warm).
- 19
Baking - Serving: Best served warm, with butter and lovely jams, the French way! Either slice warm loaf, or toast slices. (Note 16) See in post for more serving ideas – savoury, sweet, breakfast, lunch, dessert!
