Long weekends lend themselves to projects like classic French brioche. This iteration from respected food writer Ginette Mathiot is a tried-and-tested recipe.
Making brioche at home is a process that stretches over a long period of time, but no step is complicated. It just needs a little effort to knead
2 1/2 Tbsp active dried yeast
4 Tbsp milk, warmed
2 1/2 cups plain flour, plus extra for dusting
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
125 g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
1 egg yolk
- Begin preparing the day before. If using fresh yeast, mix it with the warm milk, stir to dissolve, and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Place the fresh yeast batter (or dried yeast, if using), flour, sugar, and salt ensuring the salt does not directly touch the yeast before mixing - together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, and mix together.
- Mix in the warm milk (if not already added with the fresh yeast) and the eggs to make a very soft, sticky dough. Knead for 5 minutes with the dough hook or by hand.
- Cover with buttered plastic wrap (clingfilm) and let rise in a warm place overnight, until doubled in size.
- When risen, add the butter, a lump at a time, to the dough, either in the mixer or by hand. To add it by hand, put the dough on a floured work counter, bury a lump of butter in it, then knead the butter in with an up-and down motion until the dough is silky and smooth, with no visible butter.
- When all the butter is incorporated, cover again, and let rise in the refrigerator until doubled in size, 4-8 hours. Chill in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, preheat the oven to 200C, and butter and flour a brioche mould or round cake pan.
- Turn out the dough on to a floured work counter, shape two-thirds of it into a ball, and place in the prepared mould or pan to half-fill it. Shape the remaining dough into a small ball and place it on top.
- Dust the handle of a wooden spoon with flour and push it vertically through the top ball to join it to the bottom one. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or at room temperature for 1½–2 hours.
- Beat the egg yolk in a small bowl. Brush the dough with the beaten egg yolk to glaze and then bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Recipe from Classic French Recipes by Ginette Mathiot, $80, published by Phaidon.
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