Classic Brioche Loaf

Perfect fresh, turned into sandwiches, or even french toast, this Classic Brioche Loaf is super simple to make and a great base for adding flavors!

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Proofing1 30

Total Time2 25

Course: Bread

Cuisine: French

Keyword: bread loaf, brioche

Servings:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the flour, sugar, and yeast; whisk to combine.
Sprinkle in the salt. Then add in the egg, warm milk, butter and vanilla extract.
Use a dough hook to knead everything together on medium low speed for 20-25 minutes until the dough has smooth edges and the bowl is clean.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the mixing bowl. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and set somewhere slightly warm to double in size approximately 45 min - 1 hr.
Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.

Once the dough is puffy, knock the air out and divide it into three equal portions.
Starting with one of the 3, pat the dough into a flat oval. Working from one long side of the oval, roll it up into a tight log and then use the heels of your hands to roll the log until it is approximately 12" long.
Repeat with the two remaining portions of dough. Place all three next to each other lengthwise and gently press three of the ends together to start braiding. Braid the three logs together until you get to the other end. Once you reach the other end, press the ends together.
If the start of your braid is a little loose or messy, turn the braid 180 degrees, unstick the starting ends and re-braid them to create a cleaner tighter braid.
Line the loaf pan with a rectangle of parchment that measures approximately 8" wide and 15" long. The parchment should go down a long side, across the bottom and back up the other side.
Tuck about 1"-2" of the ends under the braid and then lower it into the loaf pan.
Drape a piece of plastic or a kitchen towel over the top and set aside to proof.
It will take between 30-45 minutes to proof, the dough should reach the top edges of the pan. The dough should also not spring back if poked, if it does, leave it to proof a bit longer.

Once the dough is puffy and the oven is hot, make the egg wash by whisking an egg with a sprinkle of salt and 2 tablespoons of water.
Brush the egg wash over the top of the loaf.
Bake the brioche loaf for 15 minutes. Then rotate 180 degrees and bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
Once baked, remove the pan from the oven. Leave to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then tip it out of the pan and leave to cool completely before cutting into or storing.

Tips for making a Classic Brioche Loaf

Make sure the egg and butter for the dough are both at room temperature and the salt doesn't directly touch the yeast.
The brioche can be made the night before but is best made day of. That being said you could make the dough the night before, immediately wrap it up on a quarter sized baking sheet, and put it in the fridge overnight. Then shape, proof, and bake the brioche in the morning.
When making yeasted dough, ensure that you allow your mixer to fully knead the dough, until it forms a smooth ball and the sides of the bowl are cleaned.
Feel free to add flavors such as citrus zest, cardamom, or other spices to this brioche for a little something extra.
This brioche will work in almost any shape and any pan. For this recipe I've mad it in this 9" x 5" loaf pan but you could make individual rolls or braid it and bake in a round pan. Either way I recommend baking it in a metal pan for the best heat distribution!
You can really shape this brioche however you want, you can twist it, three rolls, or braid it like challah - the options are endless!
Make sure to bake until fully golden brown on top - if you under bake it, it may collapse.

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