There are few things that I enjoy more than fresh, homemade bread. To be able to revel in the product that comes from all that hard work is something I find incredibly satisfying. And I can guarantee that your dinner guests will get the same amount of pleasure from it as well.This recipe for brioche comes from the newly released Flour cookbook by Joanne Chang. Flour Bakery and Cafe is a Boston institution and it that has developed significantly over the past year. Along with the cookbook, another location opened (its third) a few months ago in Cambridge.
While one can find a number of these types of shops in San Francisco or New York, Boston has very few cafes that offer high quality, freshly produced baked goods. However, amongst the few that do, Flour is at the top.
So, you may be wondering what this has to do with Thanksgiving and why I’m including it in this series of posts. Because bread is a key component of any dinner party. Whether people use it to dunk in their soup or just to hold them over until the next course, it is a necessity.
There are, of course, easier (and much faster) breads you can make, but a nice, airy loaf is something truly special. If you have the time, I recommend giving this one a shot. Joanne explains each step with great clarity… making it a fantastic recipe for amateur bread bakers (like myself).
This is my last post before Thanksgiving. I hope everyone found these recipes useful and that you have a very happy holiday.
Basic Brioche
(from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery and Cafe by Joanne Chang)
makes 2 loaves
Note: Do not halve this recipe. There won’t be enough dough to engage the dough hook of your mixer, and the dough won’t get the workout it needs to become a light, fluffy bread. Don’t worry about having too much: Both the dough and the baked loaves freeze well, and having a freezer filled with brioche is never a bad thing.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups (315 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups (340 grams) bread flour
1 1/2 packages (3 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast, or 1 ounce (28 grams) fresh cake yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (82 grams) sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (120 grams) cold water
6 eggs
1 cup plus 6 tablespoons (2 3/4 sticks/310 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10 to 12 pieces
Directions
In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all-purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water, and 5 of the eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until all of the ingredients have come together. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients. Once the dough has come together, beat on low speed for another 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be very stiff and seem quite dry.
On low speed, add the butter one piece at a time, mixing after each addition until it disappears into the dough. Then, continue mixing on low speed for about 10 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. It is important for all of the butter to be mixed thoroughly into the dough. If necessary, stop the mixer occasionally and break up the dough with your hands to help mix in the butter.
Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat for another 15 minutes, or until the dough becomes sticky, soft, and somewhat shiny. It will take some time to come together. It will look shaggy and questionable at the start and then eventually will turn smooth and silky. Then, turn the speed to medium-high and beat for about 1 minute. You should hear the dough make a slap-slap-slap sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. Test the dough by pulling at it: it should stretch a bit and have a little give. If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix until it comes together. If it breaks off into pieces when you pull at it, continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until it develops more strength and stretches when you grab it. It is ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in one piece.
Place the dough in a large bowl or plastic container and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. At this point, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
To make two brioche loaves, line the bottom and sides of two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans with parchment, or butter the pans liberally. Divide the dough in half and press each piece into about a 9-inch square. The dough will feel like cold, clammy Play-Doh. Facing the square, fold down the top one-third toward yo, and then fold up the bottom one-third, as if folding a letter. Press to join these layers. Turn the folded dough over and place it, seam-side down in one of the prepared pans. Repeat with the second piece of dough, placing it in the second prepared pan.
Cover the loaves lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to proof for about 4 to 5 hours, or until the loaves have nearly doubled in size. They should have risen to the rim of the pan and be rounded on top. When you poke at the dough, it should feel soft, pillowy and light, as if it’s filled with air – because it is! At this point, the texture of the loaves always reminds me a bit of touching a water balloon.
Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining egg until blended. Gently brush the tops of the loaves with the beaten egg.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the tops and sides of the loaves are completely golden brown. Let cool in the pans on wire racks for 30 minutes, then turn the loaves out of the pans and continue to cool on the racks.
The bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days (if it is older than 3 days, try toasting int) or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
42 comments
That is one golden loaf of brioche goodness, Brian.
Great job!
Brian- this is gorgeous! Wish I had a chunk right now with my coffee:) Happy Monday!
that brioche bread looks so very very good, and your right there is nothing like fresh bread. you can see how light that bread is, just perfect for getting every last bit of gravy from the plate!
Thanks for sharing this gem with us!
Dennis
Just lovely, Brian! Last year, I made individual brioche dinner rolls for Thanksgiving – so perfect for this celebration meal. I'll have to try this recipe, for sure.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Beautiful Brioche Brian
We love Brioche and any homemade bread (made some yesterday!). Yours looks delicious! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wow, that looks challenging but well done. I need Joanne's cookbook. Need.
I've only recently entered the world of baking bread and have found it easier than I thought and so rewarding. I love the shiny crust on your brioche. It looks wonderful!
I love bread! Brioche makes awesome french toast, or just plain with butter – I wish I had some right now!
Oh how lovely!
My sister loves Flour! This brioche looks fantastic!
How funny that you posted this recipe. I made brioche this past weekend and the recipe was a total dud
Yours looks so light and beautiful — I will give it another try today but this time using your recipe 
A freshly baked solid brioche is one of my favorite things, ever. Great shots. Look delicious.
This was the most amazing bread! YUM!
M
Wow, that's a very sexy bread. I've never said that about a bread. Ever.
Did you have trouble with your mixter? I have a Kitchen Aid — and it was going crazy when I tried to make this dough yesterday…let me know if you had trouble too, or if it's just operator error on my part.
I think making bread (or brioche sort of things) is the quintessential act of sharing love and food! There is nothing like bread based goods that speak of giving thanks and sharing so I agree: this is a perfect recipe for the holidays time and for everyday time. This one looks amazing. I need to bookmark the recipe!
Wow! That brioche is literally picture perfect. Fresh bread and butter gets me every time. Yours looks perfect, all crispy on the outside…seriously, great work!
Absolutely gorgeous!!! What a treat for dinner guests to have fresh bread made especially for them!!! You've done a beautiful job with this bread and I am definitely going to have to make some for my next soiree!!
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I am so afraid of bread baking but when I see that perfect shiny loaf I think… maybe. Then I get scared again. I gotta get over this. I almost did a pumpkin brioche for the contest. But then decided that was suicide… GREG
That looks exactly like a loaf of brioche at Flour. You nailed this recipe! Happy Thanksgiving!
Beautiful loaf of brioche, Brian! I've got to check out the book! Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love brioche, and yours looks great!! Happy Thanksgiving, Brian
You've got a nice crust going on there. I've never really seen a loaf of brioche though. Send me some, please?
I hadn't heard much about Ms. Chang before you linked to that NPR article yesterday…but now I'm dying to get her book and to try some of her fabulous recipes. This looks stunning, my friend! Thank you for sharing with me…I hope you have a wonderful week of feasting, friends and family!
What a beautiful rich coloured crush, love it & couldn't agree more about a nice loaf on the table at dinner parties, always a hit
Now that's a beautiful hunk of bread. Even better y'know what you can do with the ends/stale bits when you're done? Make bread pudding! Gorgeous.
Jax x
I don't know if this is a recipe that can be made vegan or not, but I had to comment anyway because your pics are amazing. I love the first one with the browned top. Hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving holiday!
Mmnnn!!! . . . I loves me some brioche!
¿Por qué es que los alimentos con nombres en francés de sonido mucho más deliciosos que los de Inglés?
That looks great. I love brioche.
your thankgiving posts are making my mouth water. this brioche is beautiful! have a great holiday!
That bread looks absolutely perfect! I wish I had a stand mixture, because I know I would love this!
What a great looking loaf of bread! And thanks for the tip about not cutting the recipe in half. I'm sure I would have done that and then wondered why it didn't work for me.
this looks so perfect… thanks for sharing this. have a nice day.
I couldn't agree more, Brian. Having a freezer full of brioche is definitely a good thing!
Looking forward to trying this tomorrow! Looks absolutely delicious.
That brioche looks gorgeous. I love the Flour cookbook – and Joanne is so specific in her directions. It's a great source.
Brian! What a wonderful blog you have.
Do you think I can make this recipe without the mixer?
[...] RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JOANNE CHANG – RECIPES FROM BOSTON’S FLOUR BAKERY & CAFE; VIA ATHOUGHTFORFOOD.NET [...]
I made this today! to be exact, I started making it yesterday. and like you said its time consuming, but definitely rewarding. this is the 3rd bread I’ve made & the first 2 didn’t exactly look like the pictures it was inspired from. my brioche loaves look exactly like yours & I couldn’t be more thrilled! thank you for posting the recipe.
Brioche Blog Post – http://theboogieblog.net/2011/02/13/brioche/
[...] Over the holiday weekend, I finally carved out some time–and you do need plenty of time for this project–to make brioche from my favorite pastry book, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe. I’ve made several waistline-busting batches of goodies from this book already, including Double Apple Pie, and all of them turned out swimmingly, so I expected no less from Joanne Chang’s brioche recipe. [...]
wow very nice