Sourdough Brioche Bread
A recipe for a light and tender, buttery sourdough brioche.
Ingredients
Stiff Starter
- 50 g sourdough starter
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g water
Dough
- 550 g all-purpose flour with around 11% protein
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- All the stiff starter
- 125 g milk
- 8 g salt
- 225 g room temperature butter cut into cubes
Egg wash
- One egg yolk + 1 Tbsp water whisked together
Instructions
The Night Before – Stiff starter
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Mix 50g starter with 100g flour and 50g water. Knead it together into a soft dough ball.
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Place it into a jar or bowl, covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Allow it to rise for 8-10 hours until it is doubled.
Day 1
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Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, and stiff starter in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
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Turn the mixer on low and combine until it forms a thick but slightly sticky dough.
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Mix this dough for around 5 minutes to develop the gluten.
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Add the cubed butter, a few pieces at a time. Incorporate each cube before the next addition. Turn the mixer on medium and mix it for 10-15 minutes.
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Mix until the sticky dough strengthens and comes together, and pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Don’t be tempted to add more flour.
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Leave the dough to rest for a few minutes, then grab a piece and see if you can stretch it out thin so it’s almost see-through, without it tearing.
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This is called the ‘window pane’ test and shows proper gluten development.
Kneading by hand
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You can mix this dough by hand instead, though this takes a long time and requires lots of arm muscle.
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If you get too tired and need a break, do it! The dough will respond well to a few minutes of relaxation. Take time, wash the mixing bowl and your hands, and return to the dough. Don’t be tempted to add more flour.
Proofing
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Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a lid.
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Place the dough in a warm spot, ideally around 76°F (25°C), and let it rise. It needs to bulk out by at least 50-60%. This will take around 4-6 hours, depending on temperature.
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Don’t rush this rise. It’s an important one and will set the standard for any future rising the dough will do.
Cold proof
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Once risen, place the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to shape—at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. Ensure the bowl is covered tightly so the dough doesn’t dry out.
Shaping
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After the cold-proof, the dough will be quite firm. All that butter in there has stiffened up. Pull it out of the bowl and onto a clean bench—line two 8×5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.
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Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Split each piece into 8, and shape them into tight balls. Fit eight balls into each lined pan. They’ll fit snugly in there but with room to expand upwards.
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Let the brioche bread rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. This can take between 5-8 hours, depending on temperature.
Baking
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Pre-heat the oven to 400°F(200°C)
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Brush the tops of the loaves with egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes until deep golden brown.
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Once baked, let it cool down to room temperature.
Notes
Storing – Keep at room temperature in a sealed container for 2-3 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven/toaster.
Uses – Classic uses include French toast and bread pudding. It’s excellent as a luxurious sandwich bread. The dough can be used as a base for cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, or monkey bread. Incorporate fillings like chocolate chips, nuts, or fruit before the final shaping for a sweet treat.
Rising – The amount of time needed for rises can vary greatly depending on the temperature and the activity of your starter; patience is key.
Brioche buns – Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces at the shaping step. Shape these pieces into balls and space them in a lined oven tray. Press them down slightly with a floured palm. Let them proof until about doubled, then egg wash and sprinkle with any sesame or poppy seeds if you like, and bake for 18-22 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 478kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 13gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 497mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6g