International Recipe : Parisian Brioche

This is the traditional French Brioche, an egg-enriched bread, with its characteristic small “head” on top. They go especially well with coffee.

Ingredients:

• 500g high protein flour, sifted
  
• 6g bread improver, sifted
  
• 30g castor sugar
  
• 10g salt
  
• 11g instant active dry yeast
  
• 6 Grade A eggs
  
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  
• 230g butter, softened

Glaze: Put all ingredients into a bowl and beat together.

• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 tbsp milk or 2 tbsp whipping cream
  
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix sifted ingredients, castor sugar, and salt in electric mixer with dough hooke on low speed for a minute. Mix in yeast.
2. Combine the eggs and add to the dough, mixing on low speed for a minute. Increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes.
3. Add butter, mix 6 minutes more until smooth and glossy.
4. Shape dough into ball. Cover and rest for a few hours in the refrigerator.
5. Divide dough into 24 portions of 40g each and another 24 portions of 5g each. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes
6. Shape each dough into a ball. Place the large balls in brioche moulds.
7. Roll the smaller balls into pear shapes. Make a depression in the centre of the larger ball. Sit the smaller ball in the depression, small end down. Repeat with the rest. Place on oven tray.
8. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave to rise for an hour.
9. Apply the egg glaze before baking in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 12 to 15 minutes.