While working in a restaurant in the New York Catskills, I had the good fortune to befriend my French chef neighbor and he gradually became my mentor. He had strong opinions about women working behind the line, which only further pushed me to become a pastry chef. Soon, brioche became part of my standard repertoire.
What Is Brioche?
Brioche is an enriched bread dough, made with butter and eggs for a rich flavor and tender crumb. In addition to bread, the dough can be turned into pastries or sweets. Among the many are pain aux raisins—small breakfast rolls filled with custard and raisins—or loaves and cakes perfumed with cinnamon and vanilla and studded with raisins or candied peel. As tempting as those pastries are, a plain brioche loaf is a crowning achievement all on its own. It makes a soft and pillowy bread for sandwiches, tastes wonderful smeared with butter and jam, and makes incredible french toast. With so many uses, it’s worth learning the technique for a foray into pastry land!
How to Make Brioche
The dough for brioche has more eggs and more butter than other bread loaves. It requires an overnight rise in the refrigerator for it to develop flavor, but more importantly, an overnight chill gives the soft, buttery, and sticky dough time to become firm enough to shape into a loaf. Here’s an overview of the steps.
Storing and Freezing a Brioche Loaf
Like many homemade breads, brioche has a relatively short shelf life, since it doesn’t have the preservatives that keep store-bought bread fresher longer. It will stay fresh for about 24 hours. Once it has cooled completely, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap.
Use Homemade Brioche to Make These Recipes
Grilled Cheese Apple Bread Pudding Eggnog French Toast Quick and Easy Egg Salad Sandwich Brioche Stuffing with Mushrooms and Bacon
1/2 cup warm water (about 110°F) 1 tablespoon instant yeast 1/2 cup (63g) unbleached all-purpose flour
For the dough
3 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 3/4 cups (340g) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature Cooking spray, for the loaf pan 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for the egg wash)
Switch to the dough hook on medium-low speed and gradually add the remaining 1 1/4 cups (155g) flour until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Knead on medium speed until smooth and very elastic, about 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the dough hook occasionally. With the long side parallel to the countertop, fold the top 1/3 of the dough towards the middle. Fold the bottom flap up about 1 inch beyond the top flap. Pinch the seam with your fingers. Use both hands to roll the dough into a uniform log. Drop the log into the oiled loaf pan with the seam side down. With the fist of one hand, press the dough flat so it fills the pan. Tent the pan with a plastic bag, leaving 3 to 4 inches of headroom and tucking the open end of the bag under the pan. Brush the loaf with egg wash. Set the pan in the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 375ºF. Bake until the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. To check for doneness, turn the loaf onto a cooling rack and insert an instant-read thermometer into the bottom of the loaf. The loaf is done when it registers about 190ºF to 200ºF. If it is not quite done, place the loaf on a baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 5 more minutes. If it has already turned a deep brown, set a piece of aluminum foil loosely on top of the loaf. Store leftover brioche, tightly wrapped, for up to 24 hours at room temperature. Leftover slices can be toasted. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!
