Brioche
A rich, golden loaf with a soft, feathery crumb, made from a buttery egg dough that is chilled until firm before shaping.
Method
- 1
Put the flour and sugar in the mixer bowl, then add the yeast on one side and the salt on the other.
- 2
Add the eggs and milk and mix with the dough hook on low speed until a rough, sticky dough forms.
- 3
Knead on medium speed until smooth and elastic and starting to come away from the sides of the bowl.
- 4
Add the soft butter a cube at a time, letting each one disappear into the dough before adding the next.
- 5
Keep kneading until the dough is glossy and silky and stretches into a thin sheet without tearing.
- 6
Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature until the dough has risen by about half.
- 7
Press the dough down gently, cover tightly and chill until firm enough to handle.
- 8
Butter the loaf tin. Divide the cold dough into 6 equal pieces, roll each into a tight ball and set them in the tin in two rows of 3.
- 9
Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm until the dough has domed just above the rim of the tin.
- 10
Heat the oven to 180°C. Brush the top gently with egg glaze.
- 11
Bake until deep, shiny brown and the centre reads 90°C on a thermometer. Cover loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
- 12
Leave in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
- 13
Leave to cool before slicing, so the crumb can set.
Notes
- Cold dough is much easier to shape, so you can leave it in the fridge overnight instead of 4 hours.
- If the dough gets warm and greasy while the butter goes in, chill the bowl for 15 minutes, then carry on kneading.
- Day-old brioche makes excellent French toast and bread and butter pudding.
Equipment
Stand mixer with dough hook, 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin, Pastry brush, Cling film, Instant-read thermometer, Wire rack