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Classic French Brioche Loaf

Classic French Brioche Loaf

This tender french brioche is enriched with eggs, butter, and milk for a golden loaf with a soft, pull-apart crumb. Serve thick slices toasted with jam, use it for french toast, or enjoy it warm with a little butter.

Prep: 215 min · Cook: 35 min · Total: 250 min · Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 0.75 cups unsalted butter (softened and cut into tablespoons)
  • 0.5 cups whole milk (warmed to 100°F to 110°F)
  • 2.25 tsp instant yeast
  • 4 cups bread flour (spooned and leveled, plus more for dusting)
  • 1 count large egg (beaten for egg wash)
  • 4 count large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp whole milk (for egg wash)
  • 0.25 cups granulated sugar
  • 1.75 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with a thin layer of butter or nonstick spray, then line the long sides with a strip of parchment paper so the loaf can be lifted out cleanly after baking.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 4 cups bread flour, 0.25 cups granulated sugar, 2.25 tsp instant yeast, and 1.75 tsp fine sea salt on low speed for 30 seconds, until the dry ingredients look evenly mixed.
  3. With the mixer on low speed, pour in 0.5 cups whole milk warmed to 100°F to 110°F and add 4 room-temperature large eggs one at a time over 2 minutes, mixing until a shaggy, sticky dough forms and no dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Increase the mixer to medium-low speed and knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping the bowl once with a flexible spatula, until the dough becomes smoother, elastic, and begins pulling from the sides while still clinging slightly to the bottom.
  5. Keep the mixer on medium-low speed and add 0.75 cups softened unsalted butter 1 tablespoon at a time over 8 to 10 minutes, waiting until each piece is mostly absorbed before adding the next so the dough stays glossy rather than greasy.
  6. Continue kneading the enriched dough on medium-low speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until it is shiny, very soft, and stretches into a thin windowpane when a small piece is gently pulled between your fingers.
  7. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface with a bench scraper, shape it into a smooth ball, and place it in a lightly greased large bowl; cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise at warm room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours, until puffy and nearly doubled.
  8. Punch down the risen dough with a lightly floured hand, turn it onto the work surface, and press it into a rough 9-inch rectangle; if the dough feels too soft to handle, refrigerate it on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 15 minutes until slightly firmer.
  9. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper, roll each piece into a tight ball against the counter, and arrange the balls seam-side down in the prepared 9-by-5-inch loaf pan in a single row.
  10. Cover the pan loosely with greased plastic wrap and let the shaped loaf rise at warm room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes, until the dough crowns about 1 inch above the rim of the pan and springs back slowly when gently pressed.
  11. About 20 minutes before baking, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F; set the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any butter that may bubble over.
  12. In a small bowl, whisk 1 beaten large egg with 1 tbsp whole milk, then brush a thin, even layer of egg wash over the risen loaf with a pastry brush, avoiding puddles along the edges of the pan.
  13. Bake the brioche in the 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan once after 20 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 190°F to 195°F.
  14. Let the brioche cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and cool on the rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing so the soft crumb sets cleanly.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 463
  • Protein: 11 g
  • Fat: 20 g
  • Carbohydrates: 55 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 538 mg

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