Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 eggs, medium
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Preparation
Step 1
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt, and softened butter. Stir to combine.
In a separate glass bowl, warm the milk until it becomes lukewarm. Add the yeast and allow to sit for a few minutes. Whisk in 3 eggs and the sugar. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture in the stand mixer bowl. Knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes. Slowly add the remaining half cup of flour while it's kneading. The dough should be tacky, but workable when done. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow to rise for 2 hours.
After rising, knead the dough again for 5 minutes, then allow it to rise for another hour. It has finished rising when it has doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured working surface. Cut the dough into 5 equal pieces. Set one piece aside and divide the 4 other pieces into fifths. You should have 20 equal balls of dough and one large piece of dough. Place the 20 small pieces of dough into prepared fluted brioche tins or the cups of a muffin tin. Using your finger, press down into the center of each ball to create a deep indentation.
Cut the remaining piece of dough into 20 small pieces. Shape the pieces into balls and pull one side of the ball out to a point (it should be the shape of an ice cream cone or teardrop). Place the point of the dough into the deep indentation created by your finger. Repeat with each brioche. Cover and let rise for 50 minutes, until the brioches have doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Separate the egg yolk in the remaining egg. Beat the yolk with 2 tablespoons of water and brush over the tops of the brioches. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.