Brioche

Ingredients:

• 5.5 cups premium flour
• 1 packet (7 g) of fast-acting yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 7 large eggs
• 270 g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
• Special equipment: 2 bread pans measuring 22x12 cm with non-stick coating

Preparation:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt on low speed. Add the milk and 6 eggs and mix on low speed until the dough forms a smooth batter. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.
2. Reduce mixer speed to medium and begin adding the butter a few cubes at a time, waiting until fully incorporated before adding more, about 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high and continue mixing until the dough is glossy and slightly sticky, about 7 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
4. Generously grease two 22x12 cm loaf pans with butter and spoon the dough into them. Generously grease two pieces of plastic wrap large enough to cover the pans and loosely fold them over the dough, buttered side down.
5. Let the dough sit at room temperature until it rises 2 cm above the tops of the pans, about 3 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 175°C.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
7. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and brush the top of each loaf with the beaten egg, then place the pans on the middle rack of the oven.
8. Bake, rotating the pans and rotating them halfway through, until golden brown and the internal temperature of each loaf reaches 185°F (88°C), about 30 minutes.
9. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the bread to loosen them from the sides of the pans. Let cool completely on the rack.