Brioche

I'm developing this baking patience that I never used to have. Maybe it's something that comes with age? It shows up everywhere, but is especially necessary in bread making. There's just so much peace in getting just the right temperature for yeast to thrive, kneading rolling...waiting. 

Whoa, magic yeast!

That waiting for the dough to rise period is a good time to think. Or slide around on the hardwood floor in your socks, either works. 

I had some egg yolks hanging around in my fridge that needed to get used up, so my bread cravings + lonely yolks = Brioche. Brioche is a wonderfully tender french bread (probably due to the fact that it's loaded with eggs and butter. Yay.) The dough was a dream to work with, really soft and smooth. Also, it makes killer french toast. 

 

Seriously. Don't even try to resist. 

Brioche

adapted from Almost Bourdain

Ingredients

2/3 cup milk
1½ tsp dried yeast
5 egg yolks, at room temperature, lightly beaten
3 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
2 T sugar, plus extra for dusting

10.5 T butter, diced and softened

For brushing: eggwash

  

(sorry for the annoying tabbing, can't figure out how to make it go away.)

1. Warm milk until it reaches around 100-110 degrees F. Combine yeast, 1 tsp of sugar  and half the milk in a bowl, stirring to dissolve. Stand in a warm place until foamy (8-10 minutes).

2. Whisk remaining milk with egg yolks in a bowl and set aside.

3. Mix flour, remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a dough hook, until combined. Make a well in the center, add yeast mixture and yolk mixture. Beat on medium speed until a smooth dough forms (4-5 minutes).

4. While mixing, gradually add one-third of butter at a time, beat until dough is elastic and pulls away from sides of bowl (8-10 minutes). 

5.Transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand until doubled in size (1½-2 hours). 

6. Punch dough, knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, shape into a loaf and place in an 9"x 5" greased loaf pan. Cover, stand until doubled in size (30 minutes-1 hour). Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350.

7. Brush top with eggwash, dust with sugar, bake until golden and risen (25-30 minutes).