Brioche Loaf Bread

• Main Ingredient: Flour
• Prep Time: 5 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Serves: 20
• Recipe by: Nordic Ware

Brioche Loaf Bread yields a rich, buttery loaf with a soft, airy texture and slightly sweet flavour. Brioche is known for its tender crumb, which comes from the generous amount of butter and eggs in the dough, making it a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or as a luxurious accompaniment to savoury dishes.

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk together yeast and warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Using a hook attachment on a stand mixer, stir together flour, salt and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing on low between additions. Add yeast mixture and continue mixing on low for 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat for another 5 minutes.
2. Add cut butter in thirds and blend thoroughly between additions. Then, beat for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Place dough in a large lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 3 hours.
3. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and knead dough to remove air bubbles. Return to an oiled bowl. Re-cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
4. Butter 2 loaf pans and set aside. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide it into two equal pieces. Shape into even loaves. Place loaves in prepared pans. Put uncovered loaf pans in a warm area. Let dough rise for 2-3 hours until dough rises about 1/2 inch above the pans.
5. Preheat oven to 175°C. Mix seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. In another small bowl, whisk the egg and water. When loaves have risen, brush with egg wash and sprinkle seasonings evenly on loaves. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove loaves from the oven and cool for several minutes before turning out of pans onto a cooling rack. Makes 2 loaves.