Pronounced as brie-osh, the first recorded use of the word in French dates from 1404^. It is attested in 1611 in Cotgrave’s A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues, where it is described as “a rowle, or bunne, of spiced bread” and its origin given as Norman.

This rich yeast dough  made with eggs and butter is like having a piece of heaven. You’re basically taking regular sandwich bread and turning it into something so tender, buttery, and rich that it walks the line between bread and cake. A similar type of bread, called tsoureki (τσουρέκι), is also traditionally baked in Greece for the Easter weekend.

Whether eaten plain or transformed into the most luxurious French toast or bread-and-butter pudding, or used as buns for burgers and sliders, brioche for me is one of the world’s greatest breads. We use to use it as a side to go along with a nice warm bowl of fresh mussels cooked in saffron broth. Paired with a fruity Sauvignon Blanc or even just a nice cold pint. Perfect!!!

Learning to make this opens you to a world of variety. You can use this same dough to make cinnamon rolls, cooked with fruit or chocolate chips and served on its own, or as the basis of a desert with many variations in added ingredients, fillings or toppings, or as a base for ensaymada (a Filipino sweet bread glazed with butter and topped with cheese).

For this you will need a kitchenaid as it tends to be too sticky to handle. and though you can make this the same day, resting the dough in the fridge overnight tends to give better results.

 

Brioche Buns

7g (1 sachet/ 2 teaspoon) dried yeast

80ml (1/3 cup) warm milk, not HOT!!!

55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar

560g (3 1/2 cups) tipo “00” Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs

240g butter, at room temperature (not melted), cut into 2cm pieces

1 egg, lightly whisked with a drop of milk for glazing

black and white sesame seeds for sprinkles

 

Step 1 – Put the milk, yeast, egg and 1 cup of the flour in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Mix the ingredients together with a rubber spatula, mixing just until everything is blended. Sprinkle over 1/2 cup more of flour to cover the sponge. Set the sponge aside to rest uncovered for 45 minutes. After this resting time, the flour coating will crack, your indication that everything is moving along properly.

Step 2 –  This is the part where you take the kitchenaid out of the cupboard. Add the sugar, salt, eggs, and 1 cup of the flour to the sponge. Set in the mixer, attach the dough hook, and mix on low-speed for a minute or two, just until the ingredients look as if they are about to come together. Still mixing, sprinkle in 1/2 cup more flour. When all the flour is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about 15 minutes, stopping to scrape down the hook and bowl as needed. During this mixing period, the dough should come together, wrap itself around the hook and slap the sides of the mixer

Step 3 –  Reduce the mixer speed to medium. Add butter, 2-3 pieces at a time until well incorporated. At this point you’ll think you’ve fucked it up and made a huge mistake, because the dough that you worked so hard to make smooth will fall apart relax, don’t panic carry on. Dust your dough with a bit of flour if you feel it’s too sticky or it’s not coming together. Work it until it pulls away from the sides. Transfer to a greased bowl. Cover. Set aside in a warm, draught-free spot for 1 1⁄2 hours or until double in size.

Step 4 – After kneading and rising, it’s best to let the brioche dough chill in the fridge overnight. Shaping the cool dough is significantly easier than trying to coax the warm dough into submission — plus the slow overnight rise improves the flavor and texture of the bread.

Step 5 – Grease a baking tray with butter. Sprinkle with extra flour to lightly coat. Use your fist to knock back dough. Knead for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Divide the dough evenly into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Place on tray, leaving room for spreading. Set aside in a warm, draught-free spot for 1-1 1⁄2 hours to rise and double in size. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced.

Step 6 – Gently brush each brioche bun with extra egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Happy Cooking and remember always cook with your HEART…

Stay tuned for more on this series.