Easy Brioche

By Mybigbuns

Brioche is the ultimate of French baking! Such a delicious loaf. It is wonderful for breakfast, toasted with honey & butter. It is decadent when used to make bread pudding. All I can say is viva le France! This 16 slice loaf contains per slice: 165 calories, 9 g total fat (5 g saturated fat), 4.5 g protein, 17.5 g carbohydrates, 65 mg cholesterol, 165 mg sodium, .5 g fiber

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup warm milk (110-115 degrees)
• 2 Tb sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (not instant)
• 4 eggs at room temp, divided
• 2 1/2-2 3/4 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp salt (I only use kosher or sea salt
• 10 Tb softened unsalted butter

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Combine milk & sugar in lg bowl of stand mixer. Sprinkle with yeast. Let stand 10 min or until foamy & frothy. Meanwhile beat 3 eggs in medium bowl until blended. At low speed w/ paddle attachment beat eggs into yeast mixture in a steady stream about 1 min.
Slowly beat in 2 1/2 cups of flour & salt until blended.increase speed to medium and beat 10 min to knead, until dough is very smooth, scraping bowl occasionally. Do not add more flour. Dough will eventually pull away from sides of bowl. Let stand 5 min.
At low speed, slowly beat in butter, 2 Tb at a time. Increase speed to med & beat 2 min until smooth & shiny & butter is incorporated. If dough is EXTREMELY moist add up to 1/4 cup of flour, a Tb at a time. (A moist yeast dough creates a better loaf of bread so only add flour if necessary. Place dough in buttered bowl, loosely cover *& refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Dough should double in size.
Gently punch down dough, turn out on a lightly floured surface & press dough into an 8" square. Roll into a log; place seam side down in a buttered 8" x4" loaf pan. Cover with buttered plastic wrap; let rise in warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours until dough rises to the top of pan.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 20 min.
Meanwhile beat remaining egg until frothy. Lightly brush baked brioche with egg & return to the oven for 10-15 min more or until deep golden brown & loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.. Cool on a wire rack.
*seriously never tightly cover yeast bread before refrigerating. I ignored this one time & heard a HUGE explosion from my frig. I rushed to check & found bread dough everywhere & my crisper drawers destroyed! Some serious power in that yeast!!