Overnight Brioche Braid

Avid Baker Challenge #3

I'm sure that I've tasted brioche before, but it wasn't until we were having breakfast with new friends in Munich, and they knew enough to point out the lightly sweet, fluffy brioche on the breakfast buffet, that I really knew about brioche.  I was glad to see it on the baking schedule.

The author includes instructions for mixing up the bread with a stand mixer and dough hooks or by hand.  Even though my little portable mixer has dough hooks, I didn't think it was up to the task of kneading the dough for 20 minutes, so took on the rewarding task of making it by hand.

I was skeptical at first.  How can I knead this sticky dough without adding more flour?   Well, at about the 10 minute mark, a miracle occurs and the dough becomes smooth and not at all sticky, without the addition of more flour.

Then you add 1/2 cup of butter, and the smooth ball of dough becomes various sized globs of greasy dough.  At the 10 minutes point, you guessed it, the dough comes together, so satiny smooth and non-sticky that it's pulling off any bits of dough stuck to the bowl.  What a fun surprise!

 The dough was braided, baked and then gobbled up.

If you listen closely, you'll hear the dough calling out for Nutella. . .

 Be sure to check out the other Avid Bakers - many creative variations on the basic recipe!


Unlike most of my blog posts, the ABC group does not post recipes, however, many are available on the author's website.  

The braided brioche made a beautiful french toast, that became less beautiful but more delicious when topped with nutella and fried bananas with a little frankfurtki on the side.