Super soft tangzhong brioche
This fluffy brioche is made using the tangzhong method to give it a beautiful, light texture that stays soft for days. It's perfect for making savory sandwiches or toasting with butter and jam!
Equipment
- 8x4 inch or 9x5 inch baking tin
- stand mixer with paddle attachment
- small pan
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 1/2 cup (120g) milk
- 3 tbsp (23g) all purpose flour
Dough
- 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
- 3 tbsp (36g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 (300g) all purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp (90g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Egg wash
- 1 egg white (leftover from the yolk used in the dough)
- 1 tbsp milk or water
Instructions
Make tangzhong
- In small skillet or pot, whisk together flour and milk until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture has thickened but is still pourable. It should take 5 – 10 minutes. Your whisk should leave a mark when dragged along the bottom of the pan.
- Pour into a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and allow to cool slightly until lukewarm.
Make the dough
- Add the tangzhong to your mixing bowl while still warm, but not hot to the touch. Add the sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. It won't get as frothy as when you activate your yeast using warm water or milk.
- Add the flour, eggs, egg yolk, and salt to the bowl. Make sure to set aside the egg white in the fridge to use later in the egg wash. Mix using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until the dough just comes together. While the stand mixer is running, slowly add the butter into pieces until completely incorporated.
- On medium high speed, knead the dough for 15 - 20 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test. You'll notice the dough is forming a ball in the middle of the bowl instead of sticking to the sides.
- Form into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 2 hours until doubled in size. After the dough has completed it's first rise, gently punch it down and reshape into a ball. Place in the fridge and let rise for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
- When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and punch down to release the air. It should have risen, but not as much as the first rise. Grease or line a baking tin with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and gently form into round balls. Place the balls into the tin, slightly offsetting them to form a zigzag pattern.
- Mix together your egg white and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the top of the loaf with the egg wash. Cover and set aside the remainder in the fridge to do a second brush right before baking.
- Cover the tin and let rise for another 2 hours, until the loaf has risen above the rim of the pan. When you press your finger into the loaf, it should slowly come back about halfway. If it comes back too quickly, it needs more time. If it doesn't come back at all, then you need to bake immediately.
- Towards the end of the rise, preheat your oven to 400°F. Brush the top of the loaf again with egg wash.
- Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350°F. if the top is browning too quickly at this point, tent with aluminum foil. Bake for another 20 minutes until the loaf is a deep golden brown and makes a hollow noise when tapped. The internal temperature should read 190°F.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let the loaf finish cooling for another 20 - 30 minutes on a wire cooling rack.