Brioche

By LoriCaputo

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup warm milk, warmed to 100 – 110 degrees
• 2 1/4 2 ¼ tsp. dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 1 ½ cups flour
• 6 oz. butter, at room temperature

Preparation

Step 1

Put the milk, yeast, egg, and 1 cup flour into a bowl. Mix together until evenly blended. Sprinkle the remaining cup of flour over the top, covering the sponge. Set aside and rest uncovered for 30 – 40 minutes. The flour coating should crack.

Add the sugar, salt, and 1 cup of flour to the sponge. Set the bowl on to the mixer and attach the dough hook and mix on low speed and knead 1 – 2 minutes, just until the ingredients look as if they are about to come together. While mixing, add ½ cup more flour. When the flour is incorporated increase the speed to medium and beat 15 minutes, then knead for 7 – 10 minutes, until dough wraps itself around the hook, and the mixture has achieved a cohesive shape. Continue to beat 15 minutes.

On medium low speed add the butter to the dough, one tablespoon at a time, the dough that was smooth will fall apart, when all the butter has been added increase speed to medium high for 1 minute then decrease to medium speed for 5 minutes. The finished dough should be soft, sticky and cling.

Transfer the dough t o a greased bowl, cover with plastic, rise until doubled 2 – 2 ½ hours. e dough, cover tightly, chill overnight, then dough will be ready to shape.