Popular blogger HoneyBeeSweets, currently with over 34,400 followers on Instagram alone, shares with Weekender her second recipe
Brioche can be eaten as it is and it’s good even the next day, lightly toasted with that Enchire butter we love. Or top it with ham and poached egg, and you have a lovely café-style meal right at home!
To enhance the texture, I used pre-fermented dough, which can be made days ahead and kept frozen until you need it.
Just remove it 30 min prior to using and let it stand until it is room temperature.
INGREDIENTS
For 9” x 5” loaf, three mini buns and a braided bun
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Pre-Fermented Dough
- 250g Bread Flour
- 160ml Water
- 3g Instant Dry Yeast
- 1g Salt
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Brioche Bread (Main Dough)
- 100g Pre-Fermented Dough
- 4 Eggs
- 400g Bread Flour
- 4g Instant Active Dry Yeast
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 100ml Fresh Milk
- 50g Caster Sugar
- 30g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
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METHOD
Pre-Fermented Dough
Knead everything together until it forms soft, pliable dough. No need to be smooth.
Divide dough into 50g or 100g portions depending on your need and let it chill in the fridge up to 12 hours. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Brioche Bread
- Knead all ingredients of the main dough together, except butter. Add the pre-fermented dough, piece by piece. Knead after each addition until soft and smooth. Add butter. Do not be tempted to add more flour. If you do, it will not be as soft and fluffy.
- Knead until stretchable and it passes the window panel consistency – how elastic the dough is and how much gluten it has developed after all that kneading. Put the dough into a big bowl, cover with cling wrap and let it rise for 30-45 min until it doubles.
- After 45 min, punch out the air. Weigh out 3 portions of 200g of dough. Roll it round and set aside for 10 min, covered. You should have around 300g of dough left. Use your creativity and shape any shape of bread you fancy. If you just want simple buns, divide them into six equal portions. Flatten each portion with your hands to drive the air out. Roll it into a round shape, cover and let it rest for 20 min before shaping.
- For the loaf, take one portion, flatten it until it becomes a big oval disc. Then roll it up starting from the long side in until it becomes like a pole. Pinch and seal the edges. Repeat for the rest of the portions. You will have 3 pole-like pieces of dough, about a foot long each.
- Pinch the tip of each portion together, then start braiding it. Braid it as tightly and neatly as possible.
- Tuck in both ends so the dough is twice the thickness.
- Gently place the dough into the greased loaf pan. Let it rise for about 45 min or until it is 80 to 90 per cent of depth of the loaf tin. I usually omit the egg wash but feel free to brush some egg wash if you like.
- Braid the remaining dough by dividing into portions of 100g or just make buns. Have fun!
- Once the dough has risen, bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 30-35min for the loaf, and 12-15 min for the buns, until golden brown.
By HoneyBeeSweets
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