Fluffy butter brioche loaf: French egg dough that pulls apart in tender strands

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Activate the yeast

   10 min

   Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add a teaspoon of sugar, stir, and let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.

2. Knead the dough

   12 min

   Combine the flour, remaining sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture and eggs, and knead with the dough hook for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

3. Work in the butter

   12 min

   Add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, waiting until each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and glossy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

4. Let the dough rise

   1 hr 30 min

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours, until doubled in size.

5. Shape the rolls

   10 min

   Grease a 30 × 11 cm loaf pan with butter. Knead the dough briefly, divide it into 6 equal pieces, and shape them into oblong rolls. Arrange them snugly side by side in a single row, crosswise in the pan.

6. Let rise in the pan

   1 hr

   Cover and let rise for about an hour, until the dough reaches almost to the rim of the pan and the rolls touch along their entire sides. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).

7. Bake

   35 min

   Whisk the egg yolk with a tablespoon of milk and gently brush it over the brioche. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until deep golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil after 20 minutes.

8. Let cool

   40 min

   Let the brioche cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and let cool. Wait until it is lukewarm before slicing.

Tip: Use softened butter, not melted butter, which would leak out of the dough and make the brioche dense. If the dough is sticky during kneading, do not add flour; just knead it longer.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Nadýchaná maslová brioška vo forme: francúzske cesto s vajcami, ktoré sa trhá na jemné vlákna