Share your brioche recipe!

February 11, 2012 6:52 PM

I need a delicious, reliable brioche recipe.

I have a fairly well equipped kitchen, a good breadmaker, and I love to cook and bake, but I have never tried my hand at brioche. Every recipe I find online has equal amounts of 'I love this recipe' and 'this is terrible brioche' comments. It seems like a lot of people can't even agree on what brioche should taste like!

I'm looking for a recipe for a loaf of brioche with a firm, flaky crust and a light interior that is decadently buttery. Help me out!

posted by WinnipegDragon to food & drink (12 answers total)

I've made a version of brioche that's described on this page (pain au lait). The crumb definitely had structure (that is to say, bread-like) and buttery.

I don't think you can achieve a flaky crumb without using some form of layering the dough with the butter a la croissants.

I would also suggest looking in Peter Reinhart's book The Bread Baker's Apprentice, which has at least 3 different versions of brioche.
posted by scalespace at 7:15 PM on February 11

"artisan bread in five minutes a day" hertzberg and francois.
although i love to cook, i used to be afraid of baking. i would recommend this book to everyone who even thinks they want to try making bread. i noticed there are three brioche recipes amongst a ton of others. virtually every recipe i've tried has been a hit.
posted by goutytophus at 8:35 PM on February 11

Gabi over at the brokeassgourmet had one this week
posted by chaoscutie at 9:23 PM on February 11

This recipe from Macrina Bakery in Seattle is really quite delicious. The only thing I would change, is a tip from the Bakery owner herself who is adamant about adding the sugar only during the final 3-5 minutes of mixing since she believes in such doughs, the sugar inhibits gluten development.
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 9:25 PM on February 11 [1 favorite]

I like the recipe from the Tartine bread book, but it only has a lower percentage of butter than some brioches, but what it lacks in butter it makes up in milk and eggs. Still, it may not be the one for you.

The most important thing to remember when making brioche is that the dough should be fully developed (kneaded) before the butter is incorporated, otherwise the large amount of butter will prevent the gluten strands from forming and you will end up with a dense greasy lump. The butter should be soft, but still cool when it is added to the dough.

You can also laminate the butter into the dough (like scalespace suggests above) in which case, the dough should be chilled and the butter should be cold but pliable. This is tricky, but if done correctly will yield a layered texture similar to a croissant.

Time to make the doughnuts.
posted by clockwork at 1:06 AM on February 12 [1 favorite]

Seconding Reinhart's BBA for a bunch of brioche recipes

(also if you like brioche try making a Kouign Amann)
posted by JPD at 7:40 AM on February 12

Also a brioche isn't a laminated dough. If you are laminating butter into the dough it isn't a brioche.
posted by JPD at 7:41 AM on February 12

I'm trying the Macrina bakery version right now since I don't have powdered milk on hand to try the first recipe. I'll report back!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 8:41 AM on February 12

Oh jesus hell this is good... Thanks everyone, my tastebuds are in butter heaven and my arteries are in hell...
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:18 PM on February 12 [1 favorite]

FYI: I didn't have powdered milk when I made the pain au lait, so I used liquid milk instead of water.
posted by scalespace at 2:20 PM on February 12

Hope this isn't too much noise, but that Macrina book is totally worth it. A lot of the recipes have a zillion steps, but man, 99% of the ones I've made have been super worth it. A handful are in permanent Hall of Fame status at our house. Leslie Mackie knows her stuff. She also has an e-newsletter that involves a free recipe every month.
posted by ifjuly at 3:40 PM on February 12

For what it's worth, I keep meaning to try this vegan avocado-based brioche.
posted by wreckingball at 10:11 PM on February 12 [1 favorite]