Classic French Brioche
Classic French Brioche
Brioche is a French bread enriched with eggs, milk, and butter. These rich ingredients make the bread super soft and absolutely delicious when eaten warm. Brioche tastes like regular bread, but with the butter already baked in.
Whenever I make homemade bread I have to write about it. There’s just something about baking bread at home that’s so relaxing, so comforting, and so old-school in a way that I really like. And, the best part about is that you probably already have all the ingredients for homemade bread for it at home! Baking bread just requires a few simple things: flour, water, yeast. That’s really all you need for a simple bread recipe, but once you start experimenting with different types of homemade breads you can start experimenting with fancier things like spices, fruits, nuts, etc. This, of course, is one of those fancier recipes for homemade bread. Today, I’m sharing a recipe for homemade French brioche!
Brioche is a classic French bread that’s rich with flavor. Brioche is basically the Bugatti of breads. It’s simple, and gets its rich flavor thanks to lots of butter and milk and eggs. Brioche is delicious when eaten warm with soft butter spread on top (did I mention that brioche loves butter?), jam, or marmalade. I’m kind of obsessed with making fresh homemade brioche. The recipe I’m sharing on how to make brioche is adapted from the classic cookbook The Joy of Cooking. I’ve made this particular easy brioche recipe many times already. It’s a simple recipe to follow, but I’ve got some extra tips on how to make it perfect!
What is brioche?
Brioche is a French bread enriched with eggs, milk, and butter. These rich ingredients make the bread super soft and absolutely delicious when eaten warm. Brioche tastes like regular bread, but with the butter already baked in. It kind of melts away in your mouth and you taste the butter in every bite! So, it’s a good idea to use a good quality butter for this brioche recipe. Brioche is a butter-forward bread that's simply irresistible.
Do I need special equipment to make brioche?
Nope! You don’t need to use a stand mixer to make brioche. The great thing about bread is that almost any variety can be made by hand. I recommend using a stand mixer for this brioche recipe just to save time and to save your hands from the extra work from the long mixing and kneading process. If using a stand mixer, make sure you use the dough hook attachment when making this brioche recipe.
How long does it take to make brioche?
Once all the brioche ingredients are combined and kneaded, you’ll proof the bread in a buttered, covered bowl at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size. Then, you’ll refrigerate the dough for anywhere between 4-12 hours to allow it to rest. Once the dough then placed in the loaf pan, you’ll proof it again for about 1 hour before baking.
Overall, you’ll want to start your brioche one day before you want to eat it because the process can take more than 12 hours thanks to the extended rest periods.
How do you shape brioche?
The best thing about brioche is that there are endless ways to shape the dough! You can roll them into little balls and put them in a square pan, a classic loaf pan, a bundt pan, or whatever suits your fancy. The baking time may just need to be adjusted by a few minutes.
I made two separate loaves of brioche - one in a loaf pan and one in a round cake pan. First, I weighed the brioche dough and then pinched off equal-sized balls. I arranged them in the buttered pans and then brushed more butter on top before baking. I like rolling them into balls because then you can tear them apart into individual rolls when eating. But, you can also just dump the whole dough in the pan and slice it like a classic loaf for sandwiches.
How long does fresh brioche last?
I find that fresh brioche tastes best 1-2 days after it is baked. You can keep it on the counter during this time, covered, but the bread will lose some of its softness. For long-term enjoyment, I recommend slicing the cooled brioche and freezing them for up to 3 months. Then, just pop the slices in the toaster to warm them up!
Recipe
Prep Time: 10 mins
Active Time: 25 mins
Rest Time: 4-12 hrs
Ingredients
Yeast
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 c warm milk
Brioche
1 c all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp salt
1 3/4 c bread flour
12 tbsp butter, softened
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the yeast and warm milk. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, or until the yeast is bloomed and starts to smell bread-y.
Next, add in the all-purpose flour, eggs, sugar, milk, and salt. Mix until just combined, and then gradually add in the bread flour. The dough will be sticky and that’s ok! Resist the urge to add more flour.
Once the bread flour is incorporated, knead using the dough hook for about 7-10 minutes, or until the dough is uniform and cleans the sides of the bowl. You can test this by taking a spatula and running it along the side of the bowl - does the dough still cling to it, or does it come away easily? Once it comes away easily, you can move on to the next step.
With the mixer on, add in the soft butter one tablespoon at a time. Allow the pinches of butter to be incorporated into the dough before adding more. Mix the dough together again until smooth.
Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in a warm area for about 1- 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size. This can take more or less time depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
Punch the dough down, knead it briefly by hand, and over it again. Place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours. The dough will double in size again. How long you allow it to rest is up to you! I recommend taking it out a few hours before you’re ready to eat your brioche.
Butter a loaf pan (or a cake pan, or whatever you want to use!) and break the brioche dough into equal pieces. I recommend anywhere between 4-8 balls. Roll each piece into a ball and nestle them together in your pan. Brush with a little but of melted butter and a pinch of salt.
Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in size. The brioche balls with expand and fill the pan nicely.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Once the dough is ready, bake for about 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Unmold the loaf (it will come out easily) and allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
I started salt n sprinkles to show that making good food is both fun and easy to do. My recipes are mostly plant-based, and always delicious. I know you'll find just what you're looking for!