Skip to main content

Middle-Class Brioche

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 12 to 16 petites brioches à tête, 2 to 4 large brioches à tête, or two 1-pound loaves

Ingredients

Sponge

1/2 cup (2.25 ounces) unbleached bread flour
2 teaspoons (.22 ounce) instant yeast
1/2 cup (4 ounces) whole milk, lukewarm (90° to 100°F)

Dough

5 large (8.25 ounces) eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups (13.75 ounces) unbleached bread flour
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons (.31 ounce) salt
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg, whisked until frothy, for egg wash

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Proceed as described for Rich Man’s Brioche, extending the fermentation for the sponge to 30 to 45 minutes.

  2. Commentary

    Step 2

    Middle-Class Brioche, made with a 50 percent butter to flour ratio, is a very versatile dough, perfect for cinnamon or sticky buns, soft loaves, and brioche à tête. It is the most common form of brioche because it costs less than Rich Man’s Brioche and requires less gymnasium time to work off the butter (though 50 percent fat to flour is still workout worthy!). It is also easier to handle than the richer version.

  3. BAKER’S PERCENTAGE FORMULA

    Step 3

    Middle-Class Brioche %

    Step 4

    (SPONGE)

    Step 5

    Bread flour: 14.1 %

    Step 6

    Instant yeast: 1.4 %

    Step 7

    Milk: 25 %

  4. Step 8

    (DOUGH)

    Step 9

    Eggs: 51.6 %

    Step 10

    Bread flour: 85.9 %

    Step 11

    Sugar: 6.3 %

    Step 12

    Salt: 1.9 %

    Step 13

    Butter: 50 %

  5. Step 14

    Total: 236.2 %

The Bread Baker's Apprentice
Read More
Invert the ratio of gin to vermouth for a party-friendly and slightly lighter drinking experience.
No grill needed for this just-charred-enough sweet and spicy chicken.
Loosely inspired by pasta Amatriciana, a few pounds of zucchini stand in for tomatoes.
Like tiny tomato galettes and grilled shrimp with chimichurri.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Our go-to banana bread recipe is moist, nutty, and incredibly easy to make.
Like swordfish steaks with tomatoes and Peruvian-style tofu.