Brioche

Updated: Fri, 2 July, 2021

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Brioche

Servings: makes 6 mini briochesTime: 6 hours

Tags: breakfast, bread, sweet yeast dough, french, tasty

INGREDIENTS

15g fresh or 5g instant yeast
100g buttermilk, at room temperature
60g caster sugar
380g French flour type 55 or strong bread flour
½ tsp fine salt
3 large eggs plus 1 extra beaten, for brushing
170g unsalted butter, softened plus more for the tins
pearl sugar

METHOD

Note: these instructions are for 6 x mini brioches in a bun tin, 4 x 7cm each hole. If making one large brioche, use a 22cm fluted tin and don’t divide the dough.

1. Stir the fresh yeast into the buttermilk in a large bowl, or the bowl of the standing mixer (it will be a real chore to knead it by hand). Sprinkle a spoonful of sugar and leave to foam up a little, about 30 minutes.

2. Add the remaining sugar, flour, salt and eggs to the bowl and mix with a dough hook attachment for 10 minutes at high speed until the dough gathers into a ball and, ideally, bounces off the walls of the bowl.

3. Turn the speed down to medium and add the butter by a tablespoon, waiting for each one to be absorbed. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary. The dough should be smooth, glossy and very sticky. Place it in a lightly oiled bowl in a warm place for 2 hours, till it doubles in volume; then chill it in the fridge for 1 hour.

4. Turn the dough gently onto a lightly floured surface; it is essential to manipulate it as little as possible. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and gather them into balls. Cover them with a tea towel and leave for 30 minutes.

how to handle brioche dough cuisinefiend.com

5. Thoroughly butter the tins, even if using silicone ones.

6. When the dough balls have rested, scoop each with your hands and tighten them gently into a ball shape. Drop the balls into the tins, seam side down. Place the tins on a baking tray, cover with plastic and leave in a warm place to prove for about 40-60 minutes, until almost doubled in volume. If in doubt, under- rather than overprove them.

brioche dough doubles in volume cuisinefiend.com

7. Preheat the oven to 170C (no fan)/340F/gas 3. Brush the brioches with beaten egg, snip a cross in the top of each one with small scissors and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until deep golden.