Deliciuous Brioche
Instructions:
This may be the ultimate French bread: buttery,
light, a little cakey, and very good with jam. The
eggs must be at room temperature; leave them on
the counter for 15 minutes.
One 1â„4-ounce package active dry yeast or
21â„2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 â„2 cup warm whole milk, between 105°F and
115°F
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter,
melted and cooled, plus additional for
greasing the pan
1 teaspoon salt
23â„4 to 31â„4 cups bread fl our, plus additional
for dusting
1 large egg yolk, whisked with 1 tablespoon
water in a small bowl
Makes 1 loaf or 8 rolls
- Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the milk in a small bowl. Set aside until bubbling and frothy, about 4 minutes. (If the mixture does not froth, start over - the milk’s temperature was off or the yeast was bad.)
- Meanwhile, whisk the whole eggs, melted butter, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl until fairly smooth and creamy.
- Stir the yeast mixture into the egg mixture, then stir in 11â„2 cups flour.
- If you’re working with a stand mixer: Attach the bowl and dough hook to the mixer, then begin beating at medium speed, fi rst adding 1â„2 cup fl our and then more in 1â„4-cup increments, letting each be incorporated before adding the next, until a smooth, soft dough forms. Continue kneading for 10 minutes, adding more fl our in 1-tablespoon increments if the dough sticks or starts to climb up the hook.
- If you’re working by hand: First, stir in another 1 â„2 cup fl our. Then generously dust a clean, dry work surface with fl our and turn the dough out onto it. Begin kneading in more fl our in 1 â„4-cup increments, working it into the dough with a fi rm but nonetheless gentle pressure as you pull and twist the mass. Use the heel of your hand, twisting it slightly as you press into the dough. Continue working the mass and adding more fl our until a soft, pliable, smooth dough forms; then knead until as soft and smooth as an infant’s skin, about 10 minutes.
- Lightly butter a large bowl, then gather the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Turn the dough over so that the top is lightly greased, cover the bowl with a clean towel, and set aside in a warm, dry, draft-free place until the dough has risen to twice its volume, until an indentation made by your fi nger will not pop back out, about 1 hour.
- Gently push your fi st into the dough, defl ating it and steadily squashing it. Lightly fl our a clean, dry work surface again with fl our and turn the dough out onto it.
- To make a loaf: Form the dough into an oblong loaf and place it in a lightly buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, dry place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- To make a braid: Divide the dough into thirds and roll each on a lightly fl oured work surface into a 12-inch log. Lay the logs on the work surface, parallel to each other and quite close together. Pinch one end of all three logs together and braid the strands as you would hair: take the outside log nearest the end that is joined together and move it between the other two, then take the opposite outside log and move it between the other two, and so on, pushing down slightly to compact, until the loaf is braided. Tuck the ends under the loaf, then place in a lightly buttered 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, dry place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- To make a round brioche: Turn the dough out onto a lightly fl oured work surface, then cut off about a sixth of the dough and set it aside. Shape the remainder into a large, slightly fl attened ball, then gently punch a hole in the middle with your fi st. Roll the small piece of dough into a ball and wedge it into this indentation. Lightly butter a large baking sheet and transfer the loaf to it. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- To make brioche rolls: Butter small, fl uted brioche tins, then divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Pinch a small bit of dough off each, about 1 rounded tablespoon of dough. Roll each of the larger pieces on a lightly fl oured work surface into balls, then place them in the tins. Push an indentation in the middle of each with your thumb. Roll the small bits of dough into balls and place in the indentations. Set the individual tins on a large baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel, and set aside until doubled in bulk, about 40 minutes.
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- When the dough has doubled in bulk a second time, brush the loaves or rolls lightly with the egg yolk wash, coating them without letting excess wash run down and collect around them.
- Bake until well browned, until the rolls or loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 18 minutes for rolls or 25 to 30 minutes for loaves. Cool on the baking sheet for a minute or so, then transfer the rolls in their tins or the loaves to a wire rack to continue cooling. Turn the rolls out of their tins after 10 minutes.