Today’s Recipe: Honey Brioche

HONEY BRIOCHE

PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES, PLUS 2 HOURS, 45 MINUTES RISING TIME
COOK TIME: 35 MINUTES
MAKES: TWO 8” x 4.5” LOAVES

1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup honey
2 packages active dry yeast (about 4 1/2 t)
4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
1 t salt
3 eggs, divided, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened and cut into pieces
2 t water

1. In a small saucepan, combine buttermilk and honey. Over medium-low heat, whisk mixture just until honey is dissolved (mixture shouldn’t feel hot on the back of your wrist). Remove from heat and whisk in yeast; set aside.
2. Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer. Separate the yolk and white from one of the eggs. Add yolk to a small bowl and set white aside (for egg wash). Add the other 2 eggs to the bowl with the yolk and beat lightly.
3. Fit stand mixer with dough hook. Add eggs to the flour mixture and pour in buttermilk mixture. Mix until dough forms.
4. Once dough has formed, add butter, one piece at a time. Continue to mix until butter is incorporated into dough.
5. Dust hands and dough with flour and shape into a ball. Place dough in a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for two hours, or until doubled in bulk.
6. Make egg wash: In a small bowl, combine egg white and water. Mix until frothy, and strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove clumps. Cover and refrigerate strained egg wash.
7. Generously butter two loaf pans (we used Norpro 8” x 4.5” x 3” nonstick pans) and preheat oven to 350°F.
8. Deflate dough and divide into 32 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Place a layer of 8 balls into the bottom of each loaf pan. Add a second layer of 8 balls to each pan, resting them on the sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
9. After rising, place pans on a cookie sheet, brush tops with egg wash, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with egg wash again, and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until tops are deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from oven, cool slightly, then remove from pans and transfer loaves to a cooling rack to cool completely.