Ingredients:
1 Package of Yeast
1/3 Cup of lukewarm water
1 Teaspoon of sugar
2-3 Tablespoons of sugar
1 Teaspoon of salt
1 Cup of scalded and cooled milk
5 cups of bread flour (High Gluten)
2 half cups (sticks) of butter
6 Eggs
1 Egg for glaze
Method:
1. Disolve the yeast in 1/3 cup of lukewarm
water. When disolved (Using either fresh cake or dried), add 1
Teaspoon of sugar and one cup of flour.
Allow to double in volume before slipping in the oven. They
can be glazed with a beaten egg if desired.
May be eaten warm. Alone, or with jam.
Knead the ingrredients together. This will make a very stiff
dry dough. This is the "Sponge" or "Levain".
Roll the thoroughly mixed dough into a ball. Place in a bowl
and cover with lukewarm water. Leave in the bowl until it floats
to the surface - This will take about twenty minutes to one hour.
2. While the sponge is rising as above place the
following in a mixing bowl. 4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter (Best
to soften or melt the butter in the microwave), 2 - 3 Tablespoons of sugar, 2
eggs lightly beaten.
3. When the sponge has risen and is floating in
the bowl of water, take it out and add it to the other ingedients in the mixing
bowl. Mix throughoughly and knead either in the bowl or on a counter until it
is smooth. Finally add in the scalded milk.
4. Work in two more beaten eggs and the other half
cup of butter. This makes a very slippery dough and can be done on a counter or
preferably a large bowl. Fully work in and knead until uniform and smooth. You
may want to let the dough rest a couple of time while kneading - It will allow
the eggs to be absorbed.
5. Add the final two beaten eggs, work them in and
make sure the dough is smooth. Work the dough hard. Slap it on the counter and
punch it.
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6. Roll the dough into a ball. It will be loose and
slippery and will spread out again. Put into a bowl and cover.
This can be the same bowl you used to mix and knead. Allow to rise
- about double in size.
7. Punch down and place the bowl in the fridge until
needed (usually overnight). It will rise again in the fridge.
8. One to two hours before baking, take out of the
fridge and cut and shape for baking. You can make small brioche in fluted
brioche pans, or muffin tins. You can also make large loaf sized brioch in
large "Parisian" brioche fluted pans, or regular bread pans. The shaping
usually consists of puttling the dough in the pan - It is wet and sloppy and
will sit at the bottom of the pan like a cake dough, unlike a bread dough.
You can then make little balls of dough to make the traditional brioche top
knots.
9. Pre-heat oven to 425 degs F. Place brioche in there
until golden brown. 10-15 Mins for small ones 35-45 mins for
larger ones.