NIALL SAYS:
This is a gorgeous recipe to try if you are a competent home baker and you have a food mixer at home. You can experiment by adding dried cranberries and pistachio nuts to the dough. It is best served warm.
Day-old brioche is wonderful to use in bread and butter pudding, and it also makes great French toast. I often make this over the weekend so that we can have French toast with fresh berries and maple syrup for lazy brunch on Sunday at home.
- Weigh up the dry goods, butter and liquids separately.
- Mix the dry ingredients and liquid in the food mixer with the hook attachment for 4 minutes in slow gear and 5 in fast.
- Then add the butter and mix for 4 minutes in slow gear, before increasing to fast until the dough doesn’t stick to the bowl. This will take between 4 and 7 minutes depending on your mixer.
- Leave the dough to rest for 30 min, roll it flat, and fold it in four. Cover with cling-film and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours.
- Weigh up pieces of dough as desired (60g for one person, or 250g for a loaf).
- Shape the dough and then leave it to grow at 22C for 2 hours, covered with a damp cloth to avoid it forming a skin.
- Line a tray with baking parchment and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 c (160 c Fan)/ 350 f/ gas mark 4 for 10-12 minutes for the individual 60g buns, or 15-18 minutes for the 250g loaves.