Brioche Dough Recipe
Ingredients
Sponge
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 cu All Purpose Flour
1/4 cu Whole Milk, warmed to 105 degrees F
1 lg Egg, room temperature
Dough
3 1/2 cu All Purpose Flour, plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cu Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
4 lg Eggs
12 tbl Unsalted Butter, softened
1 tbl Vegetable Oil
Method
Mix yeast, sugar and flour in a medium sized bowl. Stir in milk and egg and combine thoroughly. Cover with plastic and let mixture rest for 45 minutes. Mixture should have doubled in bulk and become spongy in texture. If this hasn’t happened, then either the milk was too hot or the yeast is inactive. You’ll have to try this step again with fresh ingredients.
Once yeast mixture has properly activated, fill a mixing bowl with 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour. Stir in granulated sugar and salt. Add eggs and stir combine, then add in yeast mixture. Stir to moisten all ingredients and then place in a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Mix at medium high for about 15 minutes until dough comes together and is clinging to the dough hook.
Cream butter until it is smooth and of a similar consistency to the dough. Gradually add the butter to the flour, about a tablespoon at a time until fully blended. I will sometimes add 2 tablespoons of flour at the end to help the ingredients fully come together. The dough will still be soft and a bit sticky.
Pour vegetable oil into a large bowl and spread it to the sides and bottom. Remove the dough from the bowl and hook and transfer it to the oiled bowl, turning it once to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 2 1/2 hours.
After dough has risen, gently deflate it by cupping the sides of the dough and simply lifting it. Transfer dough to a large sealable plastic bag, removing about half of the air. Place in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours. The dough can be left in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using. Or, it can be wrapped tightly and frozen. With the frozen dough, let it thaw in the refrigerator for a day before using.
This dough is great for bread and pastries, including my star shaped Nutella filled pastry at this link.
