Brioche

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm whole milk (100- 110 degrees f)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten, room temp
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (approx)
• 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

Recipe

• 1 put the milk, yeast, egg and 1 cup of the flour in the bowl of a heavy duty mixer.
• 2 mix the ingredients together with a rubber spatula, mixing just until everything is blended.
• 3 sprinkle over the remaining cup of flour to cover the sponge.
• 4 set the sponge aside to rest uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
• 5 after this resting time, the flour coating will crack, your indication that everything is moving along properly.
• 6 add the sugar, salt, eggs, and 1 cup of the flour to the sponge.
• 7 set in the mixer, attach the dough hook, and mix on low speed for a minute or two, just until the ingredients look as if they are about to come together.
• 8 still mixing, sprinkle in 1/2 cup more flour.
• 9 when the flour is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 15 minutes, stopping to scrape down the hook and bowl as needed.
• 10 during this mixing period, the dough should come together, wrap itself around the hook and slap the sides of the bowl.
• 11 in order to incorporate the butter into the dough, you must work the butter until it is the same consistency as the dough.
• 12 you can bash the butter into submission with a rolling pin or give it kinder and gentler handling by using a dough scraper to smear it bit by bit across a smooth work surface.
• 13 when it is ready, the butter will be smooth, soft, and still cool- not warm, oily or greasy.
• 14 with the mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time.
• 15 this is the point at which you'll think you've made a huge mistake, because the dough that you worked so hard to make smooth will fall apart- don't worry, don't panic- carry on.
• 16 when all of the butter has been added, raise the mixer speed to medium-high for a minute, then reduce the speed to medium and beat the dough for about 5 minutes, or until you once again hear the dough slapping against the sides of the bowl.
• 17 clean the sides of the bowl frequently as you work; if it looks as though the dough is not coming together after 2-3 minutes, add up to 1 tablespoon more flour.
• 18 when you're finished, the dough should feel somewhat cool.
• 19 it will be soft and sill sticky and may cling slightly to the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• 20 first rise: transfer the dough to a very large buttered bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 2- 2 1/2 hours.
• 21 second rise and chill: deflate the dough by placing your fingers under it, lifting a section of dough, and then letting it into the bowl.
• 22 work your way around the circumference of the dough, lifting and releasing.
• 23 cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight, or for at least 4-6 hours, during which time it will continue to rise and may double in size again.
• 24 after this long chill, the dough is ready to use in any brioche recipe.
• 25 storing: if you are not going to use or bake the dough after it's second rise, deflate it, wrap it airtight, and store it in the freezer.
• 26 the dough can remain frozen for up to a month.
• 27 thaw the dough, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight and use it directly from the refrigerator.
• 28 to bake in loaves: divide the dough into thirds.
• 29 divide each section into 6 equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball on a lightly floured work-surface.
• 30 place the balls side-by-side in a greased loaf pan so that you have 3 short rows, each with two balls of dough.
• 31 do the same with the other two pieces of brioche dough.
• 32 cover the pans with plastic and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
• 33 preheat the oven to 375°f.
• 34 lightly brush each loaf with egg wash, taking care not to let the glaze dribble into the pan (it will impair the dough's rise in the oven).
• 35 use the ends of a pair of very sharp scissors to snip a cross in each ball of dough.
• 36 bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 200°f.
• 37 cool to room temperature on a rack.
• 38 note: you could also use this dough to make the very finest sticky-buns you've ever eaten in your entire life, or you can press it out in a deep dish pizza pan, cover it with cream cheese mixed with powdered sugar, the put fruit slices or berries over it for a very upscale"fruit pizza".