Brioche: A Classic Step-by-Step Recipe with Photos for Homemade Bread

French Brioche – a true queen in the world of baked goods! We suggest making this incredibly delicious pastry at home, using a classic French recipe with a detailed description of the preparation process and step-by-step photos.

Nutritional value per serving

338.2 kcal

Proteins: 8.5 g
Fats: 8.8 g
Carbohydrates: 56.0 g

*Nutritional value is calculated per 100g of ingredients

Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Time in the kitchen: 2 hours
Complexity:

It's easy and straightforward to prepare, but it does require some experience. Not everyone can do it right the first time.
Number of servings: 8

Brioche (from the French "brioche") was invented in French bakeries. The first mentions of a recipe for this unusual bread date back to 1404. It is also known that a sweet loaf called "brioche" was offered in bakeries in Paris, Normandy, and the Vendée in the 16th century.

Sweet brioche bread comes in many varieties:

classic bun without filling;
Brioche à tête (or "Parisian brioche") is a round "head" baked in special bowls;
with sweet fillings (jam, fruits, vanilla cream);
with a variety of meat fillings.

Initially, baked goods were prepared using a beer starter and placed in a cold room for 24 hours to slow the growth. Naturally, over time, the recipe was simplified, and a fairly simple recipe based on baker's yeast emerged, which has been widely used in cooking for many years.

Today, we'll walk you through a simple step-by-step recipe for a classic brioche bun made from soft yeast dough without filling. It can be prepared as a simple sweet treat for tea, or as a delicious Easter treat.

Homemade Brioche Bread Recipe

Sweet French Buns – A Simple Classic Step-by-Step Recipe

Ingredients

Servings

Ingredients for the dough:

Milk

75 ml
Dry yeast

4 G
Sugar

70 G
Flour

270 G
Egg C0

2 pcs
Butter

120 G

Ingredients for decoration:

Milk

1 tbsp
Egg yolk

1 pcs
Confectioner's sugar

as desired

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1 – make the dough.

To prepare a soft, delicious brioche, we begin by kneading the dough. To do this, add 3 teaspoons of sugar, 4 grams of dry yeast (about 1 heaping teaspoon), and 4 teaspoons of flour to 75 milliliters of warm milk.

If you prefer to bake bread using live yeast, use 8 grams.

You can mix the dough directly with dry yeast without making a starter, but by spending an extra 15 minutes you'll be 100% sure that the yeast is working and your French rolls will definitely turn out.

Step 2

Mix all the dough ingredients thoroughly. The dough should have the consistency of thick sour cream, as shown in the photo.

Step 3

Cover the container with cling film and let the yeast activate for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 4

Step 2 – knead the dough.

After 15 minutes, the dough should increase in volume – this indicates that the yeast is active and you can begin preparing the dough.

Step 5

In a bowl for mixing the dough, add 2 eggs (white + yolk), the remaining sugar and flour (according to the recipe), a pinch of salt and the prepared dough.

If you're using a food processor to mix the dough, like we do, you can simply combine all the ingredients and turn on the kneading function.

If you're kneading the dough by hand, a step-by-step algorithm for adding ingredients will come in handy:

First, beat the eggs with salt and sugar.
Then add the dough to the mixture and stir until smooth.
Next, add the remaining flour, kneading a soft dough.

Step 6

Once all the ingredients have combined, add 120 grams of softened butter to the dough. Add the butter in several additions, mixing thoroughly each time until the dough is smooth.

Step 7

As a result, you should have a soft, fluffy dough that easily forms a ball and does not stick to your hands.

Step 8

Grease the bowl for the dough with vegetable oil.

Step 9

Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with cling film, and let the yeast and sugar rise for about 1 hour. During this time, the dough should double in size.

Step 10

After an hour, our classic brioche dough looks like this. Remove it from the bowl and give it a first "knead." Knead it lightly and return it to the bowl.

Step 11

Cover with film and let the dough rise for at least another 30-40 minutes.

Step 12

After 40 minutes, our dough looks like this. It's risen nicely, and we're ready to begin shaping our French rolls.

There's no need to add flour in the subsequent steps! The dough should be soft and tender, otherwise the baked goods will be too tough. Simply put, you won't get a fancy brioche, but a regular sweet bun.

Step 13

Step 3 – form the brioche.

After greasing the base with a small amount of vegetable oil, lay out the dough and stretch it slightly with your hands, pushing out excess air.

Step 14

Roll out the dough into a small rectangle.

Step 15

Carefully roll the dough into a roll.

Step 16

Divide the dough lengthwise into two equal parts using a plastic scraper.

Step 17

We twist the dough into a rope, as in the photo.

Step 18

Line a 30*9*7 cm baking pan with a “French shirt” (grease with soft butter and sprinkle with flour).

Step 19

Carefully move the dough rope into the mold, cover with film and leave to rise for another 1 hour.

Step 20

After 60 minutes, our brioche will acquire a fluffy appearance.

Step 21

Step 4 – grease the finished dough.

In a small bowl, mix 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of milk, beat until smooth.

Step 22

We carefully grease the top of our baked goods with the mixture to get a beautiful golden brown crust during baking.

Step 23

Sprinkle the baked goods with confectioners' sugar.

If you don't have confectioners' sugar, you can make these buns without it. They also taste delicious sprinkled with sesame seeds or powdered sugar (of course, we dust the powdered sugar after baking).

Step 24