Barley Free Buttery Soft Brioche Bread

Total time11 hr 15 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time35 min

4.6

(18)

Rich, pillowy, and impossibly tender, this brioche is the kind of bread that makes people stop mid-bite and ask what bakery it came from. The secret is a generous amount of real butter worked slowly into the dough until it becomes glossy and smooth — a process that rewards patience with an extraordinarily soft, feathery crumb. All-purpose flour is the only grain in play here, so there's no barley flour, barley malt, or any of the hidden barley derivatives that sneak into so many enriched bread recipes and store-bought loaves. The overnight cold retard in the refrigerator does double duty: it firms the butter for easier shaping and deepens the flavor in a way that a same-day bake simply can't match. Four balls of dough nestled into a loaf pan puff up into that iconic domed crown, and a brushing of egg wash gives the finished loaf its signature deep chestnut shine. Letting it cool a full hour before slicing is genuinely the hardest part, but the clean, custardy slices are absolutely worth the wait.

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the dough

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (1 standard packet)
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 ¼ tsp fine salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup whole milk, warm (about 100°f / 38°c)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, softened to room temperature

For the egg wash

1 large egg
1 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

1
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Whisk briefly by hand to distribute evenly.
2
Add the 4 room-temperature eggs and the warm milk to the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, then increase to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl, about 8 minutes.

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