Recipe: Brioche

Adapted from a September 1995 Cook's Illustrated recipe for "Quick Brioche" and prepared for dinner on December 16, 2012.

Ingredients

2½ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
½ cup whole milk
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs

Instructions 

1. Cut the butter into 6 pieces.
2. In a small bowl, warm the milk in the microwave to 110°.
3. Whisk yeast into the warm milk, stir in 1 cup flour, cover, and set aside.
4. Add butter, sugar, and salt to food processor and pulse until soft and smooth.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, processing each until fully incorporated. The mixture may look curdled.
6. Add 1¼ cups flour and the yeast mixture and pulse to form a soft, smooth dough.
7. Process the dough continuously for 15 seconds.
8. Knead the dough on a generously floured work surface until smooth and elastic.
9. Spray an 8½ x 4½ x 2½-inch loaf pan with vegetable spray, place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and spray it, too.
10. Pat the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle. Fold 1-inch of each long side towards the center and pinch the seam.
11. Fold both short sides of the dough towards the center so they overlap and pinch the seam.
12. Place the dough seam-side down in the loaf pan, pressing it down so it fills the pan.
13. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until it is 1-inch above the top of the pan.
14. Heat oven to 350°.
15. Remove the plastic and make a slash lengthwise in the top of the loaf to within 1 inch of each end.
16. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
17. Cool it in the pan for 5 minutes then turn it out on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Mix warm milk, yeast, and flour ans set aside.

Pulse butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor until soft and smooth.

Add eggs, remaining flour, and yeast mixture, pulse to form a smooth dough then process for 15 seconds.

Knead dough until smooth and elastic.

Press into a 9x5 inch rectangle then fold as directed.

Gently press dough into a greased loaf pan and let rise until the dough extends 1 inch above the top of the pan.

Slash the top of the risen dough then place it into a pre-heated oven and bake until golden brown.

Cool to room temperature.