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Making brioche is a two-day process, but well worth the wait –
besides, the stand mixer does the hard part.
classic
brioche
For the Sponge:
125 ml
½ cup warm whole
milk
18 ml
3½ teaspoons active
dry
yeast
1
large egg + 1 large
egg
yolk
750 ml
3 cups unbleached,
all-purpose
flour
To complete the dough:
125 ml
½ cup granulated
sugar
7
large eggs + 3 egg
yolks,
lightly beaten – at
room
temperature
(but
liquid)
6 ml
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
750 - 825 ml 3 to 3¼ cups
unbleached,
all-
purpose
flour
300 ml
1¼ cups unsalted
butter, at room
temperature, cut into
tablespoons
Egg Wash:
2
large eggs, beaten
until
smooth
Makes 36 individual 3 to 3½-inch (7.5 to 9 cm) brioches, or three 8-inch (20 cm [about 1 pound])
brioches à tête or two 8½x4½x2½-inch (21.5 x 11 x 6 cm) loaves
To make the sponge, place the warm milk, yeast, egg,
egg yolk, and 1¾ cups (425 ml) of the flour in the
Cuisinart
®
mixing bowl. Insert the flat mixing paddle.
Mix until smooth on speed 2, about 1 minute. Scrape
the bowl and paddle and remove paddle. Cover the
batter evenly with the remaining 1¼ cups (300 ml) of
flour. Let stand for 30 to 45 minutes; the mixture will
rise and cause the flour to appear cracked. This is
normal and lets you know that the mixture is “alive.”
Insert the dough hook. Add the granulated sugar,
eggs, yolks, salt and 1½ cups (375 ml) of the remaining
flour to the bowl. Mix on speed 2 for 2 minutes. Scrape
the bowl and dough hook. Sprinkle with 1½ cups
(375 ml) more flour and mix on speed 5 for 15 minutes.
After about 7 to 8 minutes of mixing, the dough should
come together, wrap itself around the dough hook, and
make a “slapping” sound on the sides of the bowl. If
after 7 to 8 minutes of mixing the dough is not doing
this, add some of the remaining flour, 1 tablespoon
(15 ml) at a time. Keep beating on speed 5, until the
dough has been mixing for a full 15 minutes – this will
help give the brioche its classic texture.
Reduce the stand mixer to speed 2 and add the room
temperature butter about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) at a
time, allowing the butter to be incorporated nearly
completely after each addition. The dough may appear
to “fall apart.” After all the butter has been added,
increase the stand mixer to speed 9 and mix for 1
minute. Then reduce to speed 5, set the timer and mix
for 5 minutes. The dough will once again make the
slapping sound on the bowl.
Transfer the dough to a large well-buttered bowl and
cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room tem-
perature until doubled in volume, about 2 to 2½ hours.
When it has risen, deflate by lifting and letting it fall
back into the bowl, doing this all around the ball of
dough. Cover tightly again with plastic wrap and
refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight, to rise
again. After the dough has risen and chilled, it is ready
to use – shape while chilled for best results.
