Brioche Muffins Or Loaf

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 1/4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup butter, very soft
• 1 egg, for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
• 1 cup golden raisins (optional) or 1 cup dried cherries (optional)

Recipe

• 1 warm the bowl of your mixer with hot water, then dump it out.
• 2 mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar in the warmed bowl with a rubber spatula. let sit for 5 minutes, until it is foamy and the sugar has dissolved.
• 3 add the eggs one at a time and using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until mixed.
• 4 with the mixer on low speed, add 2 cups of the flour, the salt, and mix for 5 minutes. with the mixer still on low, add 2 more cups of flour and mix for 5 minutes more. still on low, add the soft butter in chunks and mix, occasionally scraping the paddle, for 2 minutes longer.
• 5 switch to the dough hook attachment, and set on low speed again.
• 6 while the mixer is running, sprinkle in the last quarter cup of flour. mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes, until well combined and elastic, but still sticky.
• 7 this is a soft, sticky dough. scrape the dough into a large buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. refrigerate overnight.
• 8 the next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for an hour--it should have risen substantially in the fridge.
• 9 grease a 12-muffin tin, if you are making muffins, or two loaf pans.
• 10 turn the dough a floured surface and cut in half.
• 11 for muffins: pat each half into a rectangle with the dough about a half inch thick.
• 12 spread the raisins and dried cherries evenly over the rectangle, using more if desired. starting on one of the rectangle's wide ends, roll up into a tight cylinder. the dough may stick, use a pastry scraper or a sharp knife to help loosen it. pinch the seam closed.
• 13 cut each cylinder into 6 equal portions. stick each dough portion seam side down into the muffin tin. cover and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
• 14 for loaves: pat each half into a 6x8 rectangle, and roll on the wider side, as instructed above. place each cylinder, seam side down, in a loaf pan. cover and let rise in a warm spot for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
• 15 preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• 16 beat the egg with the milk and brush the tops of the risen muffins (or loaves). bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes, until they are a deep golden brown. bake loaves for 30-35 minutes. let cool briefly in their pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.