Brioche Loaf Pan Filling Guide

Brioche is a soft, buttery bread with a dense, even crumb. It's versatile and can be used in both sweet and savoury preparations. It's a French bread, a cross between a pastry and bread, and belongs to the family of viennoisseries (which includes croissants, Danish pastries and sweet rolls).

Making delicious, bakery-quality brioche at home is easier than you might think. The key to success is using a lot of butter – this recipe calls for 150g / 10.5 tablespoons of butter per 300g / 2 cups of flour, a ratio of 1:2. Many recipes will call for only around half the butter, but this results in a dough that is easier to work with, rather than a rich, buttery flavour.

Brioche is an enriched dough, which means it has higher amounts of fat, sugar and dairy than typical breads. This means it requires far longer for the gluten to form through the kneading process than regular bread. This recipe calls for 35 minutes of kneading using a stand mixer. The dough will be very soft, but firm enough to handle without it getting stuck all over your hands like sticky paste.

The ingredients you need

• Flour – all-purpose flour is the best option, but bread flour can be used.
• Eggs – large or extra-large, room temperature.
• Butter – unsalted and softened, room temperature.
• Milk – whole milk is recommended, at room temperature.
• Sugar – granulated or superfine white sugar.
• Salt – fine or coarse salt.
• Yeast – fresh, active dry or instant/rapid-rise.

Optional ingredients:

• Honey – to sweeten the dough and feed the yeast.
• Vanilla – for extra flavour.
• Water – lukewarm, to activate the yeast.
• Oil spray – to grease the loaf pan.

How to mix the dough

Mixing the dough is the first step in making brioche. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Firstly, gather and measure all your ingredients. For the best results, ensure that your ingredients are at room temperature, except for the milk, which should be very slightly warm (around 100°F). It is also important that your butter is softened to around 73-75°F; it should be soft enough to leave a mark when pressed with a finger, but not melted.

Next, activate the yeast by placing the milk and honey in the mixer bowl and sprinkling the yeast on top. Gently whisk to combine, then let it sit for about 15 minutes until it becomes frothy and bubbly.

Now, add the vanilla, sugar, large eggs and egg yolk, and just break up the yolks. Then, add the flour, and finally, add the salt over the flour (it is important not to add the salt directly to the yeast mixture).

Using the hook of your mixer or a dough whisk, mix all the ingredients in the bowl to form a scraggly dough. Place the bowl on your mixer with the dough hook attached and start kneading the dough on a low to medium-low speed for about 1 minute.

After this initial kneading, it is time to add the butter. The butter should be added in four stages, with around 2 minutes of mixing in between each addition. Each portion of butter should be added one tablespoon at a time to ensure it is fully incorporated. Use a dough scraper to scrape the sides of the bowl as you go.

The dough will become very sticky and soft after the butter is added. Keep kneading the dough until it turns into a smooth, shiny dough that is slightly tacky but does not stick to the sides of the bowl. This can take between 8 and 15 minutes, depending on the speed and type of mixer, as well as other factors.

You will know the dough is ready when it can be lifted off the bottom of the bowl by the dough hook without breaking. It should be very soft and tacky but not stick to your fingertips. It will also be shiny and smooth.

How to add the butter

Adding the butter is a crucial step in making brioche. Here's a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to add the butter to your brioche dough:

Preparing the Butter

Before adding the butter to the dough, it's important to ensure that it is at the right temperature and consistency. The butter should be softened to room temperature. This will make it easier to incorporate into the dough. The ideal temperature range for the butter is between 20-22°C (68-71.5°F). It should be soft enough to leave an indentation when pressed with a finger but not so soft that it has started to melt.

Adding the Butter to the Dough

Once your dough has been mixed and kneaded for a few minutes, you can start adding the butter. It's important to add the butter gradually to ensure it incorporates evenly into the dough. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate after each addition. This process can take up to 10 minutes, so be patient. If you're using a stand mixer, keep it running at a medium speed while adding the butter.

Kneading the Dough with Butter

After all the butter has been added, continue kneading the dough. The butter will coat the gluten network in the dough, giving it a soft and fluffy texture. Knead the dough until it passes the "windowpane test" again. This test checks the development of the gluten network in the dough. To perform the test, tear off a small piece of dough, coat it with flour, and gently stretch it into a thin film. If you can stretch it thin enough to see through without tearing, your dough is ready. This second kneading process can take another 5-10 minutes.

Tips for Adding Butter

• If your kitchen is warm and the butter starts to melt, chill the dough in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up the butter before continuing.
• If you're having trouble incorporating the butter, lightly dust the dough with a small amount of flour (about 1/4 teaspoon) to help the butter cling to the dough.
• Be patient during the butter-adding process. It may take some time for the butter to fully incorporate, but it's important to add it gradually and not dump it all in at once.

How to shape the dough

Shaping the dough is an important step in the brioche-making process. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to shape the dough for a brioche loaf:

• After the dough has finished rising, gently deflate it by pressing down on it with your hands. This will help to remove any large air bubbles.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured work surface. The amount of flour used on the surface will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. If it is warm, the butter in the dough may start to melt, so use less flour to prevent the dough from becoming too sticky.
• Weigh the dough and divide it into equal portions. The number of portions will depend on the shaping method you choose. For a simple loaf, divide it into two portions. For a braided loaf, divide it into three portions. For a Nantaise brioche loaf, divide it into eight portions.
• Gently flatten each portion of dough. Stack any smaller pieces on top of the larger pieces if needed.
• Tuck the edges of the dough up and across the middle, and pinch them together to create a smooth surface on one side and a pinched seam on the other.
• Place the dough portions seam-side down and, using a cupped palm, roll them on the work surface to form smooth dough balls.
• For a simple loaf, place the two dough portions into a greased loaf pan. For a braided loaf, bring the ends of the three dough portions together and pinch to seal. Braid the dough tightly, being careful not to stretch it. Press the ends together and flatten them, then tuck them in to create a rounded loaf. Place the braided loaf into the loaf pan. For a Nantaise brioche loaf, place the eight dough balls into the loaf pan in a zig-zag pattern.
• Cover the shaped dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in size. This final proofing can take up to 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, it is ready to be baked.

How to bake the brioche

Ingredients

Firstly, you will need the following ingredients:

• Flour (plain/all-purpose or bread flour)
• Eggs
• Butter (unsalted)
• Milk (full-fat/whole)
• Sugar (granulated/superfine/caster)
• Salt (cooking/kosher/table)
• Yeast (fresh/active dry/instant/rapid-rise)

Preparing the Dough

• Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and yeast) in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (milk, honey, and egg).
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
• Knead the dough until it passes the "windowpane test". This will take around 7-10 minutes.
• Add the softened butter, a tablespoon at a time, and knead until it is fully incorporated.
• Continue kneading the dough until it passes the windowpane test for a second time. This will take another 5-7 minutes.

First Rise

• Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Shaping the Dough

• Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a clean work surface.
• Divide the dough into eight equal portions.
• Flatten each portion and tuck in the edges to form a ball.
• Pinch the edges together and place the dough balls, seam-side down, in a greased and lined loaf pan.

Second Rise

Cover the loaf pan and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Baking the Brioche

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Prepare an egg wash by whisking together an egg with a small amount of milk and a pinch of salt.
• Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash.
• Bake the brioche for 30-35 minutes, or until it is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
• Let the brioche cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then transfer it to a rack to finish cooling.

Frequently asked questions