Brioche
Brioche
sounds really fancy but actually it is just a very egg and butter
rich bread. This recipe is very easy to make and the only real
challenge is the timing because a lot of time has to be devoted to
letting the dough rise (which takes no effort on your part!). I made
the dough on a Saturday night and baked it on a Sunday morning for
brunch with friends. Getting up a little early was totally worth it
when I received rave reviews from adults and children alike at the
gathering. So plan ahead and make this fabulous bread for yourself!
Dough
Ingredients:
4 cups
flour
1/3 cup
sugar
½ oz. (4 ½
teaspoons) active dry yeast
2 teaspoons
salt
4 large
eggs, at room temperature
½ cup
milk, at room temperature
1 cup
unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces, slightly softened
Egg Wash
Ingredients:
1 whole egg
+ 1 egg yolk
pinch of
salt
Using a
stand mixer with the paddle attachment combine the flour, sugar,
yeast, and salt on low speed. Add the eggs and milk and continue to
mix on low speed. Once the dough starts to clump together, switch
out the paddle attachment for the dough hook attachment. (Unmixed
egg and flour will be visible.) Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed
and then scrape down the sides of the bowl and the dough hook.
Return to medium speed and mix for another 2 minutes until the dough
is firm and elastic. Scrape again. Adding a few pieces at a time,
add half of the butter while the mixer is on medium-low speed.
Remove the dough hook, knead the dough in the bowl a few times with
your hands, then reattach the dough hook. Again adding a few pieces
at a time, add the remaining butter on medium-low speed. After all
of the butter has been added, increase the speed to medium and mix
for 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl and hook and mix for another 4
minutes on medium speed. Using your hands, knead the dough a few
times and then form it into a ball. Transfer the dough ball to a
large, clean bowl; cover with plastic wrap; and let rise for 1 hour
in a warm spot.
Knead the
dough a few more times by hand, re-form it into a ball, and cover
tightly with plastic wrap. To attain the best flavor, refrigerate
the dough overnight. Alternatively, let the dough rise for another
hour. If the dough was refrigerated, let it rise for 2 hours and
warm to room temperature.
Divide the
dough into 16 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Cover loosely
with plastic wrap and let them rise for 1 hour.
Preheat the
oven to 375 degrees. Butter 2 loaf pans and place 8 dough balls in 2
rows of 4 in each pan. Mix up the egg wash and apply lightly to the
tops of the dough balls. (You will not use all of the egg wash; find
another use for the remainder.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the
tops are a deep, shiny brown color.
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