Good brioche is an amazing thing. The bread is light, buttery, and full of flavor. It can be somewhat labor intensive in its original form, so we were immediately intrigued by the idea of creating a no-knead version. Normally the butter is beaten into the dough, but here we melt it and add it to the wet ingredients. The long resting period allows it to be fully absorbed into the dough without all that extra work. This may seem like a large recipe, but the dough can be used to make various sweet breads like the sticky bun recipe that follows, and the plain loaves freeze beautifully.

　　

Ingredients

makes two 9 x 5-inch loaves

　　6 1/2 cups/975 grams all-purpose flour

　　1/2 cup/100 grams sugar

　　3 1/2 teaspoons/21 grams fine sea salt

　　1/2 teaspoon/1.5 grams instant yeast

　　8 large eggs

　　1 cup/225 grams room-temperature water

　　1/2 cup/130 grams whole milk

　　1 pound/452 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled

　　Milk or heavy cream for brushing the loaves

　　

Step 1

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk to thoroughly blend.

　　

Step 2

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, water, and milk. Once they are well blended, whisk in the butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed and there are no lumps. The mixture will resemble muffin batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. The dough will rise to approximately one and a half times its initial volume.

　　

Step 3

Using a rubber spatula, gently loosen the dough from the bowl. Dampen your hands with cool water and, with the dough still in the bowl, slide one hand under one side of the dough. Fold that side of the dough into the center and press down gently so the dough adheres to itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the folding process. Do this two more times. After the fourth fold, flip over the dough so the seams are on the bottom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. The dough will double in size.

　　

Step 4

Repeat the folding procedure, ending with the seams on the bottom. The dough is now ready to use.

　　

To Bake the Brioche

Step 5

Divide the dough in half. Place each half in a greased 9 × 5-inch loaf pan. (You can also bake half and reserve half for the sticky bun recipe that follows.) Cover the pans with a towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the pans while you preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) or 350°F (175°C) with convection.

　　

Step 6

Brush the loaves with milk and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 1 hour. The loaves are done when they are a deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped firmly with your finger. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Turn the loaves out of their pans and return them to the rack to cool completely.

　　Ideas in Food