Baking brioche bread and rolls barefoot style

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water

1 package yeast

3 Tablespoons sugar

6 large eggs at room temperature

4 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 1/2 tspn Kosher salt

11/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 egg beaten for egg wash





Directions:

Combine the water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an kitchen aid mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix with spoon until dissolved and let stand fir 5-10 mins until it blooms.

Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 1 min until well mixed. With the mixer on low speed add 2 cups of the flour and the salt and mix for 5 mins. With the mixer still on low add 2 1/4 more cups of flour and mix for another 5 mins.


Scrape the dough into a large buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight
The next day. allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Meanwhile grease a loaf pan and set aside.




Place the dough in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the softened butter in small chunks and mix for 2 mins. adding additional flour as needed to make a round ball. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and divide into two portions. Roll out the first half into small rounds as big as oranges. Now seperate the second half and braid like you braid your hair holding togther three strands of dough placing the braid into a medium loaf pan.

Butter a cookie sheet and keep aside. Roll the smaller balls into strands and make a small knot and place on the cookie sheet until all the balls of dough are used up. Make sure to keep them at least 2 inches apart.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the rolls have risen to double the size brush the top of each with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until the tops spring back and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped. Turn the rolls out onto a wire rack to cool.