Brioche

So, the first thing bread artisans will say, "This isn't the way to make brioche!"  Then, they'd launch into an explanation or debate regarding how to work in the chilled butter.  But, I take every shortcut I can and I wanted to make this recipe accessible.

First, I added the yeast to a bit of water (and orange juice) to let it dissolve.  Then, I add chunked butter, eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg and vanilla to the mixer and run it until the butter is broken down to small bits.  Then add the water and yeast mixture and enough flour to make a soft dough.  Keep mixing to form the gluten.  Set in a cool place for about 8-10 hours.  This allows the dough to ferment and develop complex tangy flavours.

Then add more flour to form a stable dough, mixing it with the dough hook.  Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes and form to round loaves.  Set in a warm place to raise until it's more than doubled in size.

Bake at 350F until light golden brown.  Then remove from the oven and brush with egg wash (a whisked egg and a shot of water).  Return to the oven and bake it until it's a dark golden brown.

This is what delicious looks like!

Brioche!

This is nearly more of a cake than a bread; heavy on the sugar and eggs.

I'm often asked about the recipe, but I merely mix things together until it seems right.  That said, here's some basic guidance:

Follow the typical bread ingredients: Flour, water, sugar, salt, yeast and some sort of fat.  Again, add more sugar than normal, and a couple of eggs.

First, in a mixer, not a bread machine, cream butter and sugar.  Then add the normal amount of water, yeast,  salt and half the normal amount of flour.  Pitch in some eggs and the mixture should be like a thick batter.

Let raise and then add in the proper amount of flour to make a soft dough.  kneed and portion the dough for a loaf or rolls.

Brioche is a cool raise bread, so it should experience its final raise in a cool room, or the refrigerator (overnight).  Bring it to room temperature before baking in a 350F degree oven for ~20 minutes.  Remove from oven and apply an eggwash before returning to the oven until it's finished baking.

It's mindblowingly good.  And rightly so!  A traditional brioche is ~25% butter.