Brioche

Products Used

By Chef Eddy Van Damme

Prep Time:

Bake/Cook Time:

45m

Yield:

2 standard loaves

Plan for:

2-3 hours proofing time

A classic egg and butter-rich Brioche Bread made with a whole stick of butter in each loaf! Chef Eddy's enriched dough is soft, lightly sweet, and extra tender. Brioche pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes, so use it for French Toast, top it with an over-easy egg, or slather it in butter and jam. You really can't go wrong. Chef Eddy's professional tip when making Brioche is to use a thermometer. A thermometer removes the fear of working with yeast and sets you up for success.

Rating:

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Products Used

Ingredients

1/3 cup water, about 75°F
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 large eggs must be at room temperature
1 1/3 cups bread flour*
2 teaspoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 tablespoon instant yeast
4 1/2 cups bread flour*
1/2 cup Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, must be very soft

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Directions

In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine water with first listed yeast. Add first listed eggs, first listed flour, and first listed sugar. Mix smooth. Remove paddle and cover with plastic wrap.
Set aside for 1 hour in a warm area. This step of making a “sponge dough” is very important to obtain a light and airy Brioche.
By now, mixture will have doubled in size. Add second listed yeast and using dough hook, mix well to combine.
Add remaining flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt and starting on low speed, mix ingredients until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium. If machine has a hard time with mixing dough, reduce speed.
Mix dough until it reaches about 78°F. On low speed, add butter in 5 increments waiting for previously added amount to be fully incorporated before adding next. Scrape bowl when required. When butter is incorporated, stop mixing. Dough absolutely cannot exceed 82°F!
Cover bowl with plastic food wrap and set in a warm place and allow dough to rise until doubled in volume, about 60-80 minutes.
Meanwhile brush 2 standard size loaf pans with butter or line with parchment paper.
When dough has doubled in size remove from bowl, this will make dough collapse and is normal and required.
Divide dough equally in 12 pieces. Using as little flour as possible, shape dough into round balls and place 6 in each prepared pan.
Drape loosely with plastic food wrap and place loaves in a warm area for about 1 hour. Once loaves have risen about 70% (not doubled), set oven to 350°F.
Remove plastic food wrap from loaves. Beat an egg until well combined and add a tablespoon milk. Very gently brush egg wash onto loaves ensuring that they do not collapse.
Place loaves slightly below middle rack in oven. Bake for about 45 minutes or when an inserted thermometer registers 190°F. Brioche tends to get a dark surface when baking. After about 25 minutes baking place a sheet of parchment or a buttered sheet of aluminum foil on surface of loaves.

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