Buttery Brioche Bread
The buttery, fluffy, rich brioche bread of your dreams!
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups milk lukewarm
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 7-7 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 eggs plus one for egg wash
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, combine milk, ¼ cup sugar, and yeast. Give a quick stir, and let sit for a couple minutes to activate the yeast. You will know your yeast is activated when there is foam on top of the liquid.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 7 cups of the flour, salt, and ¾ cup sugar. Then pour the yeast mixture into the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs and then add them to the rest of the large bowl's ingredients. Add the vanilla extract. Beat the dough until it comes together.
- Add the softened butter, ½ cup at a time, and knead for about 10 minutes until elastic. If the dough isn't coming together well, add the remaining ¼ cup of flour.
- Place the dough into a lightly floured surface and round into a ball. Place into a lightly oiled bowl and oil the top of the dough as well. Cover in plastic wrap and place in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has proofed, evenly divide in half (this will make the 2 loaves of bread). Starting with one of the two dough halves, evenly divide into thirds. Roll the thirds into short strands, a little bigger than the size of the loaf pan. Seal all the strands together at the top, braid, and then pinch and seal the bottom. Repeat with the other dough half.
- Place the braided dough loaf in a loaf pan. Cover with a hand towel and let proof for another hour or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has proofed, brush in egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water). Bake at 350F for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
The dough should be slightly sticky due to all the eggs and butter.
The bread will keep in a plastic bag for about 5 days.