The Sweetest Morning Breakfast: Brioche - Page 2

First Rest

Set the sponge aside to rest covered tightly with plastic wrap for a good 30 to 40 minutes.

After this resting time, the flour coating should crack, your indication that everything is moving properly.

The Dough:

• 70 grams/ 1/3- scant cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 5 eggs lightly beaten
• 180 grams, 1½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 227 grams, 2 sticks of unsalted or sweet butter (6 ounces)

Add the sugar, salt, eggs, and 1 cup of flour to the sponge. Set the dough into the mixer attach the dough hook, and mix on low speed  until the ingredients look as they’re combined, and sprinkle in ½ cup more flour. When the flour is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium-low and beat for 15 minutes, stopping to scrape down the hook and bowl as needed. The dough should come together wrap itself around the hook; ands slap the sides of the bowl. If after 7 to 8 minutes, you don’t have a slapping dough, add up 1 Tablespoons more of flour, it should not take more than 3 additional Tablespoons of flour to achieve a good slapping dough. After 15 full minutes the dough should be sticky, elastic, and should not break when pulled.

 Incorporating the Butter:

The butter needs to be cold, yet pliable to incorporate properly into the butter into the dough,  work the butter until it is the consistency as the dough. I find using a dough scraper to smear it across a smooth work surface is the easiest way to achieve pliable cold butter. When the butter is ready, it will be smooth, soft, and still cool and not greasy.

With the mixer on medium-low, add butter, 2-Tablespoons at a time. Panic most likely will set in as your dough will fall apart, don't worry this is suppose to happen. When all of the butter has been added raise the mixer speed to  medium for a minute, then reduce the speed to medium-low for about 5 minutes, or until you hear the slapping against the sides of the mixer. Clean the sides of the bowl frequently as you work. If after 2 minutes the dough is not coming back together add 1 Tablespoon of flour. When you’re finished, the dough should be somewhat cool. It will be soft and still sticky and may cling to the sides and bottom of the bowl. Remove the dough and knead by hand, on a lightly floured surface (such as marble) for a minute or 2.

First Rise:

Transfer the dough to a very large buttered bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise in a proffer or a warm room until doubled in size, between 2 to 2 1/2 hours. If your kitchen is cold, turn the oven on the lowest temperature and place the bowl on top of the oven.

Article Author: Bobbie Noto

I began a profession in the culinary arts after graduating from UNC with psychology degree, and realized I was not ready to continue with my studies in a master's program. I also wanted to be able to care for my daughter full time while pursuing a career. …

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