Or two actually, but let’s not rush there.
Updating images of old posts has been on my list forever. I’ve come to a place with my photography where it’s getting somewhat embarrassing to face my early works… I try to focus on the progress but still, I realize those images are not good. Not that I’m super satisfied with what I make now, clearly there is room for improvement but I’ll stop the moaning right there. Confidence comes with practice, there’s really no other way of going about it.
Changing visuals for this Easter challah made me recognise it’s not just the images – recipes evolve too. And while I totally vouch for that one, I’ve been using an updated version lately and it’s time to share!
Brioche is a French pastry, an enriched bread with high egg and butter content. It has a lovely, rich and tender crumb making it ideal for many, many things. I use this type of dough not only when making a braided challah for the holiday table, but for all the sweet rolls, buns, knots, braids and babkas on my repertoire as well.
The ingredients are pretty basic, the method is not complicated either but admittedly there is one tricky bit, and that’s proofing. That is where brioche-making can go south. You have to pay close attention to achieve the perfect rise, but – good news! – I’ve found a way around having to babysit your dough.
It’s the overnight method, putting the controlled environment of your fridge to good use. Ever since I’ve first made the dough this way, I never gone back to the same-day process again and I guess that says it all.
But why was I teasing two recipes? It’s simple. First, there’s the base recipe to bear every sweet filling you can think of. But when I don’t fill the dough, I want the absolute sweetest, most delicate texture I can create (hint: even more sugar and fat).
When you master this dough, the possibilities become endless. All you need to do is plan a night ahead.
Overnight Brioche Dough for Filling
Rich and tender French pastry, the basis for your sweet baking
Ingredients
500 g AP flour
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
50 g sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk + 1 egg for eggwash (if recipe calls for it)
300 ml warm milk
50 g unsalted butter, softened
Directions
- Assemble dough the night before you want to bake. Sieve the flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- Add sugar to warm milk (make sure milk isn’t hot, it could kill the yeast), stir to dissolve.
- Make a well in the flour, add egg, yolk and milk mixture. Set machine to low.
- When dough comes together, increase speed to medium and gradually add butter, leaving time between each addition for butter and dough to fully combine.
- Continue mixing on medium until a shiny, elastic ball of dough is formed, not sticking to the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured, clean bowl, cover with cling foil. Let ferment on the counter for 1 h (45 min if your kitchen is warm).
- Transfer to the fridge overnight. The next morning dough should be double its original size.
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Turn out chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll, divide, fill, braid, etc. according to your recipe. Let rest 30 min. before transferring to oven.
- Bake until golden, 30-45 min. Enjoy!
Overnight Brioche Dough
Rich and tender French pastry, sweet enough without filling and perfect for braiding.
Ingredients
500 g AP flour
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
15 g vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
45 g sugar (60 g if using vanilla extract)
1 egg + 1 yolk + 1 egg for eggwash, beaten
200 ml milk
100 ml heavy cream
50 g unsalted butter, softened
Directions
- Assemble dough the night before you want to bake. Sieve the flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of your mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
- Mix milk with cream, add sugar and vanilla sugar. If you can’t get vanilla sugar, use 60 g sugar and add 1 tsp vanilla extract. Slightly warm mixture in microwave, making sure milk is not hot (it could kill the yeast). Stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Make a well in the flour, add egg, yolk and milk mixture. Set machine on low.
- When dough comes together, increase speed to medium and gradually add butter, leaving time between each addition for butter and dough to fully combine. Continue mixing on medium until a shiny, elastic ball of dough is formed, not sticking to the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured, clean bowl, cover with cling foil. Let ferment on the counter for 1 h (45 min if your kitchen is warm).
- Transfer to the fridge overnight. The next morning dough should be double its original size.
- Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Turn out chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface and braid. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, carefully transfer dough to tray. Wash with egg.
- Let rise 30 min, wash with egg again.
- Transfer to oven, bake until golden (30-45 min). Enjoy!
Love,
Fruzsi
