This classic French bread is rich and slightly sweet, with a soft, golden crust and a yellow, buttery, cakey crumb. It is widely eaten in France – with coffee for breakfast, as a roll with dinner, or as a base for any number of desserts. At River Cottage, we like to toast brioche and serve it with a smooth chicken liver pâté and a little fruit jelly. Contrary to popular belief, as bread goes, brioche is pretty straightforward. The dough is very soft to handle though, so kneading in a stand mixer is easier. You can make and bake brioche all in one day, but it benefits from sitting overnight in the fridge – the very soft dough stiffens as it chills, making it easier to shape.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 2 small loaves
Ingredients
To Glaze
Preparation
Step 1
To knead by hand: Mix together all the dough ingredients in a large bowl to form a dough. Knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and shiny.
Step 2
Or, to use a stand mixer: Fit the dough hook and add all the dough ingredients to the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until combined and mix for about 10 minutes, until smooth and shiny.
Step 3
Shape the dough into a round, place in a bowl, and cover tightly. Leave in the fridge overnight.
Step 4
The next day, divide the dough into 2 pieces and form into the shape of your choice. Lightly flour the loaves, lay them on a wooden board or linen cloth, and cover with a plastic bag. Leave them somewhere nice and warm to proof until almost doubled in size; this could take 3 or 4 hours, as the dough is cold.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 400°F. For the glaze, beat the egg and milk together. Transfer the risen loaves to a baking sheet and brush all over with the glaze. Bake for about 10 minutes, then lower the oven setting to 350°F and bake for a further 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.
