Recipe For Brioche
This is a recipe for Brioche. A French yeast bread and pastry that’s enriched with butter and eggs. The recipe is surprisingly simple and easy to make, and you can also use it to make sweet or savory treats like chocolate babka. Today, we bake the classic Brioche à tête.
I bet you’ve often seen brioche bread at the local bakery and wondered how they make it. It’s rich, buttery, sweet, and of course expensive. This French bread, called viennoiserie, is often a cross between bread and pastry because it’s rich like a pastry and takes much longer than most bread recipes.
This is the recipe for Brioche à tête. Tete means head, and that’s what you see on top – the head. If you watch the video, you will see how we shape and give the dough its name.
Why is this the best French brioche recipe?
- This recipe is also simple and easy to make. The dough takes just about 10 minutes in the stand mixer.
- Also, most of the ingredients are easy to find or simple pantry staples.
- This is a basic recipe for brioche. You can use it to make many different shapes, such as sandwich bread, buns, and rolls.
- The process of making brioche is unlike that of regular bread. Once you prepare the dough, you want to let it rest in the fridge overnight. That’s what helps develop flavor, but it also allows you to plan ahead.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – Often, bread flour is recommended for making homemade bread. But I have been making bread for over 10 years now, and I always use all-purpose flour for my brioche.
- Instant dry yeast – I like to use instant dry yeast because I’ve always had great success. But you can also use 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, or 21 grams of fresh baker’s yeast.
- Sugar – Brioche is a sweet bread, but you can certainly reduce the sugar by half.
- Butter – Is the star of the show, so I recommend using good-quality butter with high-fat content. I like to use good-quality European butter.
- Eggs – Add a lot of flavor to the bread, give a tender crumb, and strengthen the texture.
- Milk – Enhances the flavor and tenderizes the dough, giving it a soft texture. The temperature of the liquid milk is an important factor in bread-making. It has to be warm, not hot, usually about 110°F.
Homemade Brioche bread recipe
Brioche dough
- Dry ingredients – In a large bowl, combine salt and flour, and set aside.
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine warm milk (110°F), yeast, sugar, and eggs, followed by the flour.
- Knead – Once all the flour is well incorporated, knead on medium for 6 to 8 minutes. You can also transfer it to a floured work surface and knead it by hand for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Butter – Next, add the softened, room-temperature butter, one cube at a time. Once all the butter is in, knead for 6 minutes more.
Pro tip – A brioche dough is soft, elastic, smooth, and still slightly sticky, so do not add extra flour. The long kneading will give you an elastic dough, which should pass the windowpane test. - Bowl – Transfer to an oiled bowl, seam side down. Next, coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Then, cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise
- Room temperature – Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour. It will rise slightly but not too much. Punch the dough down.
- Fridge – Make a smooth ball again. Cover and let rise in the fridge for 6 to 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Room temperature – Thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
Pro tip – A brioche is an enriched dough with lots of butter, sugar, and eggs. Hence, it takes longer for the yeast to mature, so overnight in the fridge adds tons of flavor.
Shape the brioche à tête
- Divide – Butter the brioche molds and set them aside. Divide the dough into two portions. Then, divide each into six equal portions of approximately 110 grams each, making a total of 12 buns. Alternatively, you can also make eight equal pieces of approximately 80 grams each. (see video). Shape each portion into a ball. Set aside.
Pro tip – You can also use a muffin pan or mini cake pans. - Shape
- Method 1 – Press each ball with your fingers to create a slightly oblong shape (like a snowman with a big head and small body). Using your fingers, poke a hole in the center of the large ball (body) and poke the small ball (head) through it. (see video)
- Method 2 – Divide each ball into two – one large and one small. Make a hole in the large ball. Then, place the small ball on top of the large ball.
- Place in the prepared brioche pans. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This can take up to 2 hours (shorter in summer).
Pro tip – You can also let these proof in the fridge overnight and thaw an hour before baking. Perfect for a weekend or festive breakfast.
Proof and bake
- About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5.
- Brush each brioche with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar pearls. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.
Pro tip – If the buns get too dark on the top, tent them with foil. - Cool on the cooling rack. It is best to rest these for at least 15 minutes before you serve.
Troubleshooting
- Dense or Heavy Texture: If your brioche bread turns out dense or heavy instead of light and fluffy, there might be a few causes:
- Insufficient proofing time: Brioche requires a longer proofing time due to its high-fat content. Ensure you let the dough rise until it has doubled before baking.
- Overmixing: Overmixing the dough can develop too much gluten, resulting in a dense texture. Mix the ingredients just until they are combined, and avoid excessive kneading.
- Incorrect yeast: Make sure your yeast is fresh and active. Expired or inactive yeast can lead to poor rising.
- Dry or Crumbly Texture: If your brioche bread is dry or crumbly, consider the following:
- Insufficient moisture: Brioche dough should be soft and slightly sticky. If the dough feels dry, try adding a bit more liquid, such as milk or water, during the mixing process.
- Too little butter: Brioche relies on a generous amount of butter for its richness. Ensure that you are adding the correct proportion of butter to the dough.
- Overbaking: Overbaking can result in a dry texture. Keep a close eye on your bread during baking and remove it from the oven as soon as it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Lack of Flavor: If your brioche lacks the desired flavor:
- Increase the amount of sugar: Brioche traditionally has a slightly sweet taste. Adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe to suit your preferences.
- Use high-quality ingredients: The quality of ingredients, such as eggs, butter, and vanilla extract, can significantly impact the flavor of your brioche. Opt for fresh, high-quality ingredients whenever possible.
Frequently asked questions
How long will these brioche keep?
If stored properly, this soft brioche will stay at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. It can also be frozen for a month or more.
How do you store bread at room temperature?
Brioche bread is best stored at room temperature in a paper bag or bread box to maintain its texture. Avoid storing it in a plastic bag, as it can cause moisture buildup and make the bread soggy. Brioche can also be frozen in airtight containers or bags for longer-term storage.
Can I make brioche bread in advance?
Yes, you can prepare brioche dough in advance and refrigerate it overnight. The slow fermentation in the refrigerator enhances the flavor and texture of the bread. You can shape and bake the dough the next day, allowing you to have freshly baked brioche whenever you want.
Can I skip the overnight proofing for brioche?
Brioche is a highly enriched dough, so overnight proofing helps enhance its flavor and strengthen and relax the gluten. Overnight proofing is highly recommended. However, you can leave it to rise on the counter for longer, but you will still need to chill the dough before you shape, proof, and bake it.
Recipe for Brioche
This is a recipe for Brioche. A French yeast bread and pastry that's enriched with butter and eggs. The recipe is surprisingly simple and easy to make, and can be used to make sweet or savory treats like chocolate babka. Today, we bake the classic Brioche à tête.
Video
Ingredients
Makes 12 buns x 110 grams each
Plus
- 1 Egg yolk for eggwash
- 2 tbsp Water for eggwash
- 2 tbsp Pearl sugar optional
Method
Brioche dough
- Dry ingredients – In a bowl, combine salt and flour – set aside.625 g Bread flour, 10 g Salt
- Wet ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, combine warm milk (110°F), yeast, sugar, and eggs. Followed by the flour.180 g Whole milk, 14 g Active dry yeast, 200 g Eggs, 75 g Sugar
- Knead – Once all the flour is well incorporated, and knead on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes, or transfer to a well-dusted worktop and knead by hand for 10 to 12 minutes
- Butter – Next, add the soft room temperature butter one cube at a time. Once all the butter is in, knead for 6 minutes more.113 g Butter
- Bowl – Transfer to an oiled bowl, seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise Room temperature – Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour. It will rise slightly but not too much. Punch the dough down. Fridge – Make a smooth ball again. Cover and let rise in the fridge for 6 to 12 hours or up to 24 hours. Room temperature – Thaw at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours.
Shape the brioche a tete
- Divide – Butter the brioche molds and set them aside. Divide the dough into two portions. Then, divide each into six equal portions of approximately 110 grams each, making a total of 12 buns. Alternatively, you can also make eight equal pieces of approximately 80 grams each. (see video). Shape each portion into a ball. Set aside.
- Method 1 – Press each ball with your fingers to create a slightly oblong shape (like a snowman with a big head and small body). Using your fingers, poke a hole in the center of the large ball (body) and poke the small ball (head) through it. (see video)
- Method 2 – Divide each ball into two – one large and one small. Make a hole in the large ball. Then, place the small ball on top of the large ball.
- Place in the prepared brioche pans. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This can take an hour up to 90 minutes.
Proof and bake
- Oven – About 10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5.
- Bake – Brush each brioche with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar pearls. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.1 Egg yolk, 2 tbsp Water, 2 tbsp Pearl sugar
- Cool on the cooling rack. It is best to rest these for at least 15 minutes before you serve.
Notes
- Measure all ingredients beforehand so you don’t forget anything at the last minute.
- For accuracy, use a weight measure for the ingredients because every cup of flour can weigh differently depending on how you fill it.
- The liquid (milk or water) must be warm (not hot) – about 110°F. If the liquid is too hot, it will kill the yeast; similarly, if the liquid is too cold, it will not activate the yeast.
- Though instant dry yeast has a long shelf life, it can get ruined. Always check the expiry date on the yeast. If unsure, combine the yeast with water/milk, sugar/honey, and oil/butter from the recipe and let stand 5 minutes. If it gets foamy, the yeast is good to go; if not, it’s best to buy fresh yeast or check the temperature of the milk.
- Keep salt away from yeast as it can kill the yeast. I like to combine salt with the flour, then add the yeast mixture.
- A soft, loose, well-hydrated dough is not necessarily a bad thing; it will often give you soft, puffy bread. So, don’t be tempted to add more flour than mentioned in the recipe.
- Kneading is key to making good bread. While kneading by hand can be therapeutic, using a stand mixer is easier and quicker, especially for soft doughs like brioche.
- Leave the dough at room temperature to rise until doubled in volume. While not recommended, when in haste, you can place it in a warm (30 C / 85 F – not hotter) oven this will expedite the rise.
- Bread does not have to be time-consuming. You can leave the dough in the fridge to rise for a few hours (even overnight) while you go about your chores. A slow rise will give more flavor to the bread.
- Always preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before you place bread in, or the low temperature will spread the dough too much.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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This is comfort food baking at its finest!! I love the shiny gloss on the brioche. I bet that taste delicious. I can almost smell how amazing they would be, yum!!
Yes, it tasted absolutely heavenly.
I love brioche bread! So glad to have found an excellent recipe to make my own at home!
Thank you, Jessica
this looks great. how do you suggest thawing/heating them after they have been frozen? should they be frozen in foil and then reheated in the foil?
I freeze them in paper bags, Ingrid. I thaw them on the counter and put them in the microwave for 30 seconds. You can also bake them in the oven wrapped in foil. Thanks
This looks heavenly! I love brioche bread!
Thank you
The kids have been so active in the kitchen during quarantine. They have had fun picking out recipes and making them. They picked out your recipe and we made it today! It was a hit! My kids had SO much fun baking!! Can’t beat brioche!
Ah.. I am so happy to hear that. This is delicious. Can’t beat brioche. Thanks for the lovely feedback.
I’ve always wanted to learn how to make brioche at home – and this recipe broke it down perfectly! Mine came out nice and fluffy and so delicious.
Thank you so much for the lovely feedback, Emily. So happy to hear that