Fresh Baked 'Easy' Brioche

There is no doubt that baking is one of my favorite things to do. Ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you about the sweets and treats that come out of my oven. Every once in awhile I like to bake fresh bread as a special treat. I absolutely love fresh baked bread. Nothing compares to the taste and on top of that, it makes your house smell wonderful! 

I pulled out a book that my mother-in-law bought me awhile back (bread) and started flipping through the pages. I forgot just how much I love bread! I am going to try to do one 'bread' post a week since there are so many great breads that I can't wait to attempt, some for the second or third time.

This week, I chose to make Brioche. This is a super light and airy bread. I have long loved Brioche but had never attempted to make it at home before tonight. It turned out fantastic! When toasted it has a lovely crunch that is unbeatable! 

The recipe I chose to use was not from my book. The one in the book said to leave the dough in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours and seriously, who has that kind of time? Maybe if I were to plan ahead (not likely) I could make that version at some point in the future. For now, this easy version I found worked out great!

'Easy' Brioche (the simplest brioche)

• 1 2/3 C. all-purpose flour
• 5 1/2 T. butter, room temperature
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 T. yeast
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/3 C. milk, warm
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk for glaze

Stand Mixer directions: 

Mix the flour with the yeast. Add the warm milk slowly and steadily while mixing with the hook attachment. Add sugar and salt. Next, add the soft butter, little chunks at a time, until each piece is well blended.
One by one, add the eggs, mixing well between each. Work the dough until it is elastic and detaches from the bowl of the stand mixer easily.
Cover and let rest in a warm place for two hours, until it doubles in size.
Work the dough again for 10 min and divide it in four balls. Place them in a greased bread pan and cover. Let rise for an hour again.
Preheat oven to 400.
Brush the brioche with the egg yolk. Sprinkle with a dash of sugar. With a pair of scissors, make small cuts at the top of each ball.
Bake for 10 min then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for about 20 minutes more.
Remove from oven and pan and let cool on a rack.