Golden Brioche Recipes

GOLDEN BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Put the yeast, water, and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved.
• Add the flour and salt, and fit the mixer with the dough hook. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can - this will save you and the kitchen from being showered in flour.
• Turn the mixer on and off in a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour, then remove the towel, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two, just until the flour is moistened. At this point you will have a fairly dry, shaggy mass.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and the eggs, followed by the sugar and the orange zest (if using zest).
• Increase the mixer sped to medium and beat for about 3 minutes until the dough forms a ball. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter in 2 tablespoon size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You will have a dough that is very soft, almost like a batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
• Lightly butter another bowl and transfer the dough to it, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, about 40 - 60 minute, depending on how warm your room is.
• Deflate the dough by lifting it up and around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator, Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the covered dough in the refrigerator to chill overnight.
• The next day, butter and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
• Pull the dough from the fridge and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Cut each piece of dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3 1/2 inches long. Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan. Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until the dough almost fills the pans, 1 to 2 hours.
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400.
• Beat the egg with the water. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the loaves with the glaze.
• Bake the loaves until they are well risen and deeply golden, 30 - 35 minutes. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto the racks. Invert again and cool for at least an hour.
• Serve.
• Eat
• Using a brioche pan - minis (makes 12 minis and two smaller loaves)Follow step 9 above, but divide the dough into two halves; one half for these minis and the other half for two small loaves. Or use the dough for only minis. If you are like me you would have to bake a dozen, then repeat.
• Butter 12 3 1/2 inch wide brioche pans. Divide the half into 12 equal pieces.
• Follow these instructions on making your mini brioche, from step 6 - 9. After brushing with the glaze, lightly sprinkle with sugar, if you desire.
• Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove the brioche to a wire rack to finish cooling.

GOLDEN BRIOCHE LOAVES

Steps:

• Put the yeast, water, and milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add the flour and salt, and fit the mixer with the dough hook, if you have one. Toss a kitchen towel over the mixer, covering the bowl as completely as you can to keep you from being covered in flour! Turn the mixer on and off in a few short pulses, just to dampen the flour (you can peek), then remove the towel, increase mixer speed to medium-low and mix for a minute or two. At this point you will have a dry, shaggy mess.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula, set the mixer to low and add the eggs, followed by the sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 3 minutes, until the dough forms a ball. Reduce speed to low and add the butter in 2 Tablespoon size chunks, beating until each piece is almost incorporated before adding the next. You'll have a dough that is very soft, almost like a batter. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 40-60 minutes. Deflate the dough by lifting it up around the edges and letting it fall with a slap into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Slap the dough down in the bowl every 30 minutes until it stops rising, about 2 hours, then leave the covered dough in the refrigerator overnight.
• If making Brioche loaves: Butter and flour 2 8.5 X 4.5 inch loaf pans. Pull dough from the fridge and divide into two equal pieces. Cut each piece of dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each piece into a log about 3.5 inches long. Arrange 4 logs crosswise in the bottom of each pan. Put the pans on a baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat, cover the pans lightly with wax paper and leave the loaves at room temperature until dough fills pans.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until loaves are well risen and deeply golden, about 30-35 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the pans and turn the loaves out onto cooling racks. Cool at least one hour.