Introduction: Brioche Dough 101

About: An Italian living in China with a passion for cooking. I grew up in a picturesque town called Lecce nestled on the “heel of the boot”, Italy’s southern tip, between the Adriatic and Ionian se…


I'm a bread lover!
A few weeks ago I tried this recipe for making brioche dough. It is the best I've ever made!
Here I am going to show u how to prepare it and I'll also give u a bunch of different ideas on how to use it!
Let's get started!

Ingredients:

For the spunge

1/3 cup warm whole milk (110F/38 C)
2-1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 egg
2 cups flour

For the dough

1/3 cup sugar
3 big eggs
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (160 g)


Step 1: Step One: Make the Spunge!


Heat up 1/3 cup of milk until it reaches 38 C or 110 F (I put mine for 30 sec in the microwave) and sprinkle 2-1/4 tsp of active dry yeast right on top. Wait about 10 min for the magic to happen!
Next, in a bowl of your electric mixer combine 1 cup flour, 1 egg and the milk/yeast mixture
With a rubber spatula mix the ingredients together until combined
Now cover the top of the mixture with the other cup of flour and let rest uncovered for about 40 min

Step 2: Step 2: Make the Dough!


40 minutes later, add sugar, salt, 1 cup of flour, 3 slightly beaten eggs and with your electric mixer, hook attachment, mix for a minute on low. Now add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and keep mixing. When incorporated increase speed and beat for about 15 min.
During mixing, the dough should wrap around the hook and slap sides of bowl. If this does not happen after 10 minutes, add up to 3 tablespoons flour. Continue to beat a full 15 minutes.
Meanwhile grab about 2/3 cups of room temperature butter and mash it around.
Now with you mixer on low, add the butter a couple of tbsp at a time scraping the bowl with a spatula from time to time.
Once you have added all the butter, keep mixing the dough on medium speed for about 10 min. If the dough is not coming together after 3 minutes, add in 1 tbsp of flour (I did that).

At this point the dough should feel somewhat smooth, soft, and sticky.
Transfer it to a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size (I left mine resting for 2 hours)

Step 3: Step Three: Refrigerate!

2 hours later...
Deflate dough by lifting a section, and letting it fall back into bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 4 to 6 hours in the fridge!
When this time has passed, your dough is ready to be used!


Step 4: Step Four: USE IT!


There are several different ways you can use this fantastic brioche dough!

- In a bread loaf
- To make cinnamon rolls
- Shape it in small round panini

Go check out my blog to find out more!
www.expatcucina.com