Fresh From the Oven Challenge: Brioche

I’m really late posting this, because I was traveling and then, well, not in a blogging mood.  But the August FFTO challenge was really great, I would make this again in a heartbeat. Chele from Chocolate Teapot gave us this recipe from from the River Cottage Handbook No.3 – Bread.

400g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
5g powdered dried yeast
10g fine sea salt
90ml warm milk
2 tbsp caster sugar
100g butter, softened
4 medium free range eggs, beaten

To Glaze

1 medium free range egg
2 tbsp milk


Mix the ingredients.
Knead for about 10 minutes, until smooth and shiny.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Shape into two loaves.
Let rise 3-4 hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
Beat egg and milk together for the glaze.
Put loaves on baking sheet.
Glaze loaves with a pastry brush.
Bake 10 minutes.
Turn oven down to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool.

Makes 2 small loaves

I actually followed the recipe exactly – shocking, I know – and it worked beautifully except that my stupid oven burned the bottoms of the loaves.  I seriously have to cook everything in it for ten minutes less than recipes say.  The rest was fine, though.  Even though it looks long, this recipe is really easy.  It’s a great one to try.  This was my first time doing a real glaze and I loved the shininess!  It’s just a shame that I left town right after making it so I couldn’t enjoy it more, but don’t worry, I packed one loaf in my carry-on and took it to the friends I was visiting!