Classic Brioches
Submitted by rogreadum
Classic French brioche a tete, the buttery, golden topknot rolls baked in fluted tins. A rich egg-and-butter dough chilled overnight for the tenderest crumb, with a traditional floating-sponge yeast start.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
3 hrsCOOK
15 minREADY
27 hrsBrioche is the queen of enriched yeast breads: a French dough so loaded with butter and eggs that it bakes into a tender, almost cake-like crumb under a deep golden, shatter-thin crust. These are shaped a tete, the classic look with a jaunty little topknot perched on each bun.
This recipe uses a charming old-school trick to start the yeast. You knead a small ball of dough, cut an X in the top, and float it in warm water. In a few minutes it bobs to the surface, proof that the yeast is alive and the sponge is ready to fold in.
The overnight chill is not optional. All that butter makes the dough impossibly soft and sticky at room temperature; cold from the fridge, it firms up enough to shape, and the slow rest deepens the flavor.
When it’s time to shape, move fast. The longer the dough sits out, the warmer and stickier it gets. Press a small cone of dough into each larger ball for the signature head, brush with egg wash, and bake until deep gold.
Chef Tips
- Float the starter dough in warm water; when it rises to the top, the yeast is active and ready.
- Don’t skip the overnight chill; cold dough is the only way to handle something this buttery.
- Work quickly during shaping so the butter stays firm and the dough manageable.
- Brush with egg wash for that glossy, deep-gold brioche shine.
Variations
- Bake the dough in a loaf pan for a sliceable brioche loaf, ideal for French toast.
- Add a handful of chocolate chips or pearl sugar for a sweet brioche.
- Form small balls in mini tins for elegant, two-bite brioches.
Ingredients
Directions
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
Stir to dissolve. Add yeast mixture to flour in small bowl.
Stir with spoon until it forms a stiff ball. Turn out on lightly floured board.
Knead a little until you get a smooth surface on top.
Cup dough in your hands to make round top and cut halfway through ball with sharp knife in the shape of an X; like a hot cross bun.
Open each of four petals a little. Drop it into a 4 cup pitcher half filled with lukewarm water and leave it to rise to the top of the water.
This will happen in 3 to 7 minutes. In the meantime in large mixing bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy.
Remove butter with rubber scraper, cleaning bowl thoroughly with scraper.
Place butter aside.
In mixer, place flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Beat until shiny.
Add butter and well-drained yeast dough.
Mix all together with spoon and put in floured bowl.
Cover dough with saran wrap and cloth and put into warm place to rise, until double in bulk -- ¾ to 1 hour.
When risen, stir around top with finger to break the rise.
Cover and put in the refrigerator overnight or in the freezer 2 to 3 hours.
Remove dough and work quickly so it won’t get too sticky to handle. Place on floured board.
Shape two-thirds of dough into balls-- the size will depend on the size of the muffin tins you use.
Regular 3 inch tins take 2 inch balls.
Miniature muffin tins take ½ inch to ¾ inch balls. Place the balls in well-buttered muffin tins.
Form an equal number of small balls from remaining third of dough. Shape one end into cone shape.
With finger make depression in center of large ball and insert tip of cone.
Press gently. Cover loosely with towel and let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about 1 hour.
Brush lightly with mixture of egg yolk and milk.
Bake at 425℉ (220℃) for 15 to 20 minutes for large brioches and 10 to 12 minutes for miniatures.
Cool quickly and freeze. To serve, remove from freezer and heat at 300 until thawed and heated through.
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