A classic french morning snack. Adapted from Poilane Bakery and Culinary school.
Brioche on its own is delicious if you like a little more sweetness you can add sugar and cinnamon or your favorite sweet spices to create Brioche Feuilletee.
Prep tip: Measure your dry ingredients days in advance, this way when it's time to make you will save time. I like to make this Brioche in a 3 day process. Prep day measure dry ingredients. Another day make the dough and let rise for 2 hours, then store in fridge. Then within 2-3 days your final day, you roll out your dough and add sweetness, then cut and put in baking pan and let rise another 2 hours then bake for 30 minutes.
Why are some measurements grams and others not?
Weight is best for flour, it ensures accuracy. Using a cup you will always get a slightly different amount depending on how much get's packed it.
Ingredients for 1 loaf
250 grams All-purpose flour (2 cups of flour) (King Arthur Flour is my fav)
27 grams of Superfine sugar (2 tablespoons) (caster is my fav)
4 grams of active dry yeast or instant (1 teaspoon)
3 grams fine salt (1/2 teaspoon)
15 ml of warm water (1 tablespoon)
2.5 eggs (how do you measure half an egg? see below)
125 grams (4.5 oz butter - I prefer grass-fed 1 stick, plus a little extra)
1-2 oz butter - for the bowl while rising
Egg Wash (you need this the day you bake)
Mix the half egg and a splash of water
Sugar Mix (you need this the day your bake) Skip this step if making brioche bread only
3 Tablespoons of superfine sugar (caster)
1 Tablespoon of ground ginger
1 a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or 1 Tablespoon if not adding nutmeg
Optional add nutmeg (1 teaspoon)
How to measure half an egg
Crack 1 egg in a bowl, beat with a fork, now weigh it, remove half (save for egg wash) add half of this to the other 2 eggs and now you have 2.5 eggs
Directions
1. (3 minutes) In your mixing bowl with a hook mix yeast and warm water and let it sit for 3 minutes (note water should not be too hot, should be warm to the touch)
2. Add flour, eggs, and sugar
3. (5 minutes) Mix on low speed for 5 minutes
4. (15 minutes) Add butter in small (less than a teaspoon each) amounts, this process is slow around 15 minutes, add a piece when you can no longer see the piece of butter add another (one at a time)
(you will think, this is a lot of butter not sure it's looking right, but it's working)
5. (Rise 2 HOURS) Once all butter is incorporated, remove from hook make a ball and put in a buttered bowl and cover with saran wrap and store in the kitchen for 2 hours
6. The dough will increase in size, it won't double like standard bread, but it will get bigger. Now you can proceed to make brioche, OR you can wrap the dough and store in the fridge and make the brioche the within 3 days (I like to do this, fewer steps the next day)
7. If you stored, remove from the fridge and unwrap, or start here, put the dough on the counter with a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle, around 5X10 rectangle. You may need a little extra flour to dust the countertop
NOTE: If making bread skip steps 8-11. (roll dough, into a long oval ball, seam side down and place in a 9X5 bread pan) Proceed to step 12.
8. Add cinnamon-sugar mixture all over the dough
9. Starting from the short end, roller the dough into a log
10. Cut the log into three sections
11. Turn the sides up so you can see the swirls and place all 3 in a 9X5 bread pan
12. (Rise 1.5 - 2 hours) Cover lightly with saran wrap and let it rise 1.5 hours to 2 hours, the dough will rise a little more, but not a ton. If it doesn't fill the pan, that is okay, it will expand while cooking
13. @ 15 minutes before you are done rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees. And now mix your egg wash.
14. (5 minutes) Add egg wash to the top of the swirls and wait 5 minutes - if making bread brioche only - score the top with knife 4-5 times or cut with scissors a few times - no cuts needed if making the Brioche Feuilletee
15. (Bake 30-35 minutes) after 5-minute egg wash put in the oven for 30-35 minutes
15. Once done cooking, remove from oven and carefully remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack
16. Slice and enjoy.
Note: You can use this bread for the best french toast. Or eat as it is, or add some jam.