Homemade Buttery Brioche Bread Loaf

Warm the milk to 80-100°F. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the yeast and the milk. Add the all-purpose flour and mix with a spoon until the mixture is smooth. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it ferment for 45 minutes. If the yeast is good, the preferment will easily triple in volume and the top will be covered with air bubbles.

Place the butter in a bowl and beat it until smooth and creamy, using either a hand mixer or a spatula. Refrigerate until it has cooled to 65-68°F.

Place the bread flour and all-purpose flour in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk to combine. Add the sugar, kosher salt, the eggs and the preferment to the flour. With the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients together on medium speed for 1 minute until the ingredients come together. If the dough is lumpy, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and mix until each tablespoon of milk is incorporated and the dough is no longer lumpy. Usually 1 additional tablespoon is enough. You don't want to start with lumpy dough because it will stay lumpy through out the process.

Change to the dough hook and mix on low speed (2 on a KitchenAid mixer) for about 16-18 minutes until the dough is elastic and has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Every 5 minutes scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

To determine if the dough is ready take a small piece about the size of a golf ball, and gently stretch the dough until it is thin and light passes through the dough. If it tears it is not ready. If it doesn't pass the window pane test, mix the dough for another 3-5 minutes.

Note: Because there is so much butter in this recipe it is important that the dough is elastic, so it can absorb the butter.

Once the dough has passed the window pane test, remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place it in a small bowl covered with a towel and let it rest for 15 minutes. This rest will relax the dough and make it easier to absorb the butter.

While the dough is resting, wash the dough hook and mixing bowl so there are no dry hard pieces of dough that get mixed in with the dough.

Place the dough back into the mixing bowl. Add the 1/3 of the butter in the middle of the dough. Mix on low speed until the butter is incorporated.

The butter may smear at first; and possibly work its way from the middle of the dough to the sides of the bowl, so every few minutes, stop the mixer and use a dough scraper to scrape the sides of the bowl and push the dough and butter together towards the center. Continue to add the butter 1/3 at a time and mix until each batch is incorporated.

After about 16-18 minutes, the dough will start to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Once the dough has completely pulled away from the sides of the bowl it is ready. The dough should be shiny, soft, pliable, and cool to the touch and only slightly sticky. The dough should not stick to your fingers. Total mixing time: 22 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly greased 8-cup measuring cup or a large bowl. Lightly press the dough down, it should come up to the 4-cup mark on the measuring cup. Let the dough rise in a warm spot, until doubled. It should reach the 8-cup mark.

Punch the dough down by pressing your fist gently into the center to deflate it. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using the heel of your hand, gently knead the dough for 1-2 minutes, folding it over itself several times, until it forms a smooth, cohesive ball. This brief kneading redistributes the yeast and creates an even texture throughout the dough.

Place it in the refrigerator in large bowl and let it chill for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. Refrigerating the dough slows down the fermentation process, leading to a more complex flavor and better texture for the bread.

Note: If you're in a hurry, you can shape the dough after just 2 hours of chilling. It will be easier to handle at this point. While it won't have as much developed flavor as an overnight chill, it will still taste delicious.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Place one piece back in the refrigerator until ready to shape it.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, divide it into 8 equal portions, weighing about 55 grams each using a kitchen scale.

Take one piece of dough and place it on a clean, unfloured work surface. The slight stickiness of the dough against the counter will help create tension as you shape.

Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the dough piece into a small disc, about 3 inches across. Don't press too hard, you want to flatten it while keeping some of the air bubbles intact.

Form your dominant hand into a "cage" shape: curve your fingers and thumb to create a dome over the dough, with your fingertips and the base of your palm touching the work surface around the edges of the dough.

Create a "V" shape with your thumb and index finger, positioning this V at one edge of the flattened dough.

Begin rolling the dough in a circular motion using your cupped hand. The key is to maintain gentle downward pressure while moving your hand in small circles. Your palm should stay curved over the dough like a dome.

As you roll, the dough will begin to gather and tighten underneath your hand. The friction between the dough and the counter (created by your gentle pressure) will help create surface tension.

Continue this circular rolling motion for 30-60 seconds, gradually reducing the size of your circles as the dough forms into a tight ball. You should feel the dough becoming more taut and round.

The finished ball should be smooth and tight on top, with all the seams gathered and sealed on the bottom where it touches the counter.

Repeat with remaining 7 pieces.

Lightly grease a 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan. Place the eight dough balls seam-side down in the prepared loaf pan, arranging them in two rows of four balls each.

Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until the dough is soft to the touch and when lightly pressed with the knuckle of your index finger, it bounces back. This will take about 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Beat the egg and milk together for the egg wash.

Once the oven is finished preheating, lightly brush the dough with egg wash using a pastry brush. Be gentle and careful not to deflate the dough. Optionally you can also sprinkle the top with pearl sugar, which adds a nice crunch.

Bake until the brioche has risen, turned a dark golden brown, and the internal temperature in the center reaches 190°F, about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Run an offset spatula around the edges and invert the loaf onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Allow the brioche to cool for 30-45 minutes before slicing for the best texture while still enjoying it warm. For pull-apart style, you can gently separate the rolls after 20-30 minutes.

Store covered or wrapped in plastic at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze the bread, wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, the place it in a freezer storage bag. The bag can be frozen for up to 3 months.