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French Brioche Bread

French Brioche Bread – A light and fluffy bread with a rich flavor from eggs and butter. This bread is easy to make and is great to use for everything from french toast to sandwiches.

French Brioche Bread

French Brioche Bread

Making bread is one of my favorite things to do.  There is something so relaxing about the process and the result is very rewarding.  Even when I make a mistake and end up with a flatter bread then intended or whatnot, it is always still delicious with a bit of butter or jam spread on it.

When I was making my homemade challah bread a few months ago, I kept running across brioche being mentioned in the same sentence as challah and I knew that I had to add it to my list to try.  I hadn’t ever made a brioche before but I always would get brioche burger buns from the grocery store.  After having homemade brioche, I don’t think I am going to be able to go back to store bought after this! The flavor and texture was just so special and it was far better than anything I had had before.  Go make some brioche, you won’t regret it!

Brioche Bread

Common questions about making brioche bread

What makes a brioche different from other breads?

Brioche is a special type of baked good called a “viennoiserie” which is a yeasted dough with added ingredients such as eggs, butter, sugar, etc that sets it apart from other baked goods such as sourdough bread which is made with just flour, water, and salt.  By enriching the dough, you end up with a rich bread.

What is brioche bread good for?

Brioche bread is good for everything! Some popular ways to use it include making french toast with it, using it in a sandwich, or just serving it with jam or butter.

How do you make brioche bread from scratch?

It is pretty easy to make brioche bread from scratch but it is a time consuming.  You have to start making the sponge which is lightly fermented to help give the bread a deeper flavor.  Then after letting it sit for an hour, combine it with the remaining ingredients and let rise.  Shape the bread and then let it do a final rise before covering it in egg wash and baking.

Are brioche buns good for burgers?

Yes! They are my favorite buns to use for burgers.  If you want to make buns instead, I would guess you could divide into about 8-10 balls of dough that are about 2/3 the size of a burger bun during the shaping phase and then let them rise to full size.  They will probably take a bit less time to bake than the bread loaf would (about 20 minutes?).  There are plenty of recipes online for brioche buns so I would confirm how best to cook them elsewhere before embarking on that baking journey.

Easy French Bread Recipe

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Homemade Brioche Recipe

Yield: 12 Servings

French Brioche Bread

French Brioche Bread

French Brioche Bread - A light and fluffy bread with a rich flavor from eggs and butter. This bread is easy to make and is great to use for everything from french toast to sandwiches.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients

Sponge

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 0.25 oz packet)
  • 1/2 cup milk*

Dough

  • 6 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the sponge - flour, yeast, and milk. Mix together using the hook attachment. Once well combined, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about 60 minutes.
  2. After the dough has sat, add in the ingredients for the dough except for the butter - eggs, flour, sugar, and salt. Beat for about 10-12 minutes. The dough should be smooth, shiny, and elastic.
  3. Slowly start to add in butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting the butter fully combine with the dough before adding more. This should take another 12-15 minutes. Mix for about 5-7 more minutes or until you can pull the dough very thin and see through it without it ripping*. Cover the bowl and let rest another 60 minutes. It should double in size.
  4. Punch down dough and then transfer it to a floured surface. At this point, there are a few different ways you can shape it to choose from.

    Loaf - Grease a 9"x4" pan. Divide into 4 evenly sized pieces and then roll out to be about 8"x5". Fold in each of the long sides 1" and then starting on one of the shorter edgs, roll up and place in the pan. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

    Circular Braid - You can bake this either on a sheet pan lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper or in a 9" pan. Divide dough into 3 evenly sized pieces. Roll into 14 inch tubes and places them all side by side. Starting at the top, layer all three on top of each other and then go about braiding them. Once you finish braiding them, tuck the ends of the dough underneath. Transfer into pan or onto a sheet pan by forming a circle with the braided dough, bringing the ends together.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and let proof 60-90 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  7. Combine egg and water for the egg wash. Beat together using a fork and lightly spread over the entire bread.
  8. Transfer dough to oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes. If you have a food thermometer, use it to make sure that the bread is between 190-205 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool before slicing into it.

Notes

* Heating liquids to between 120-130 degrees is an essential part of activating active dry yeast. Too hot can kill the yeast and too cold will not activate the yeast, leading to problems like the dough not rising enough. If you don't have a food-safe thermometer, you want it to be warm, but not hot to the touch.

* This is called the windowpane test. It helps a baker determine whether their bread has been kneaded enough. If it just rips instead, you need to continue to knead it and then try the windowpan test again.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 358Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 403mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g

This nutritional information can vary depending on the specific products you choose so this is a general guess of the correct nutritional information based on the products I used. Please keep that in mind when making the recipe.

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