How to make brioche

3 h 18 min

Step by step.

1. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk; it should not be hot: about 30 °C.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt. Add the milk with the yeast and the 3 beaten eggs.
3. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. It sticks to your hands: do not add more flour.
4. Add the butter in pieces, a little at a time, and knead for another 10 minutes, until the dough no longer sticks and stretches without tearing.
5. Shape it into a ball, cover it and leave it to rise for 1 h 30 min somewhere warm, until it doubles in size.
6. Press it down with your hand to knock the air out and divide it into 10 pieces of about 95 g. Shape each one into a ball and place them on the tray with baking paper, spaced apart. For a loaf, shape a log and put it in a 30 cm tin.
7. Cover them and leave them to rise for another hour, until they have almost doubled in size.
8. Brush them with the beaten egg and, if you like, sprinkle sesame on top.
9. Bake them at 180 °C, top and bottom heat, for 15-18 minutes, until golden. The loaf, 30-35 minutes.
10. Let them cool on a wire rack before slicing.