Brioche Loaf

Instructions

Tap a step to mark it done

1. 1 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the water, yeast, and flour on low speed until well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the sponge looks puffy and small bubbles appear, about 45 minutes.
2. 2 With the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and egg yolk into the sponge one by one at medium speed, incorporating each egg into the dough before adding the next one and scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the sugar, salt, and 1 1/2 cups (185g) of the flour. Switch to the dough hook on medium-low speed and gradually add the remaining 1 1/4 cups (155g) flour until incorporated, about 3 minutes. Knead on medium speed until smooth and very elastic, about 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down the dough hook occasionally.
3. 3 With the mixer running on medium speed, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to incorporate it after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl from time to time. When the butter has been thoroughly absorbed, the dough will be soft and sticky. Take your time; this step takes approximately 4 minutes.
4. 4 Scrape the dough into a clean bowl and pat it into a ball. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dough and let rise for 8 hours or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
5. 5 Spray a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. On a lightly floured work surface, turn out the dough and pat or roll it to form a rectangle approximately 8 1/2x6 1/2 inches. With the long side parallel to the countertop, fold the top 1/3 of the dough towards the middle. Fold the bottom flap up about 1 inch beyond the top flap. Pinch the seam with your fingers. Use both hands to roll the dough into a uniform log. Drop the log into the oiled loaf pan with the seam side down. With the fist of one hand, press the dough flat so it fills the pan. Tent the pan with a plastic bag, leaving 3 to 4 inches of headroom and tucking the open end of the bag under the pan.
6. 6 Let the dough rise until the dough is puffy and springs back slowly when gently poked with a finger, about 2 hours. Your finger should leave a slight impression, and the dough should rise about 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan.
7. 7 About 1/2 hour before the dough has finished rising, set a rack on the lowest part of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF. Brush the loaf with egg wash. Set the pan in the oven and turn the oven temperature down to 375ºF. Bake until the top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. To check for doneness, turn the loaf onto a cooling rack and insert an instant-read thermometer into the bottom of the loaf. The loaf is done when it registers about 190ºF to 200ºF. If it is not quite done, place the loaf on a baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 5 more minutes. If it has already turned a deep brown, set a piece of aluminum foil loosely on top of the loaf.
8. 8 Set on a rack to cool completely before slicing. Store leftover brioche, tightly wrapped, for up to 24 hours at room temperature. Leftover slices can be toasted. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!