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Homemade Buttery Brioche Bread Loaf Recipe

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This homemade buttery brioche bread loaf recipe yields a tender, rich, and fluffy brioche perfect for breakfast or as a luxurious sandwich bread. Utilizing a preferment for enhanced flavor, the dough is carefully mixed with plenty of butter, rested, shaped into rolls, and baked to a golden perfection with an optional pearl sugar topping for a delightful crunch.

Ingredients

Preferment

  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) whole milk, heated to 80-100°F
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons (10 grams) active dry yeast

Dough

  • 1-1/2 cups (188 grams) bread flour
  • 1-1/4 cups (158 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs (200 grams), cold
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 14 tablespoons (200 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature at 65-68°F

Egg Wash and Topping

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons Swedish pearl sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the Preferment: Warm the milk to 80-100°F and whisk together with the active dry yeast in a medium bowl. Add the all-purpose flour and stir until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let ferment for 45 minutes until it triples in volume with bubbles on top.
  2. Make the Dough: Beat the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy, then refrigerate until cooled to 65-68°F. In a stand mixer bowl, whisk bread flour and all-purpose flour together. Add sugar, kosher salt, cold eggs, and the preferment. Mix on medium speed with paddle attachment for 1 minute until combined, adding up to 1 tablespoon milk to smooth out lumps. Switch to dough hook and knead on low speed for 16-18 minutes until dough is elastic and pulls away from the bowl. Perform windowpane test to check readiness; knead 3-5 minutes more if necessary.
  3. Rest the Dough: Transfer dough to a small bowl, cover with a towel, and let rest for 15 minutes to relax gluten.
  4. Add Butter: Place dough back in the mixing bowl and incorporate softened butter in three additions, mixing on low speed and scraping bowl sides frequently. Continue kneading for 16-18 minutes until dough is smooth, shiny, pliable, cool to touch, and slightly sticky but not sticking to fingers (total mixing time about 22 minutes).
  5. First Rise: Transfer dough to a lightly greased 8-cup container or large bowl and press down lightly to about the 4-cup mark. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled to the 8-cup mark.
  6. Punch Down and Refrigerate: Gently deflate the dough by pressing down with your fist. Knead briefly (1-2 minutes) on a floured surface for an even texture. Place dough back in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours up to 24 hours to develop flavor. If short on time, chilling for 2 hours is acceptable.
  7. Shape the Loaves: Divide dough into two equal pieces, refrigerating one while working with the other. Cut the piece into 8 equal portions (~55 grams each). Shape each into tight balls by gently flattening, then rolling under the palm in a circular motion to create surface tension until smooth and taut.
  8. Assemble and Final Rise: Lightly grease an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan. Arrange the eight dough balls seam-side down in two rows of four. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until dough bounces back when lightly pressed.
  9. Bake the Brioche: Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat egg with milk and gently brush the risen dough with egg wash, taking care not to deflate it. Optionally sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes until brioche is dark golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.
  10. Serving and Storage: Cool brioche 30-45 minutes before slicing for best texture; pull-apart style rolls can be separated after 20-30 minutes. Store baked bread wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze wrapped for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Butter temperature is crucial; keep between 65-68°F for easy incorporation.
  • Adding milk to the initial dough mixing helps smooth out lumps and prevents lumpy dough.
  • The windowpane test ensures gluten development is sufficient to handle high butter content.
  • Resting the dough relaxes gluten and facilitates butter absorption for tender crumb.
  • Refrigeration slows fermentation to develop flavor; longer chilling improves taste and texture.
  • Handling dough gently when shaping preserves air bubbles for a light texture.
  • Egg wash adds color and shine to the finished loaf.
  • Pearl sugar adds optional crunchy sweetness on top.
  • Use a kitchen scale for precise portioning when dividing dough balls.
  • Allow bread to cool partially before slicing to avoid gummy texture.

Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/homemade-buttery-brioche-bread-loaf-recipe/