Poor Man’s Brioche
Adapted from The Bread Baker’s Apprentice
Ingredients
For the sponge
1/2 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
For the dough
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Directions
To make the sponge, in the stand mixer bowl, add the 1/2 cup
flour, yeast, and lukewarm milk and stir with spoon until combined. Cover with
plastic wrap and let it rise for about an hour until it looks frothy.
To make the dough, add the four eggs to the sponge and whisk
until everything is combined. In a separate medium bowl, stir or whisk together
the 3 1/4 cups of flour, sugar and salt. Mix to combine. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Using the dough hook, add the butter two tablespoons at a
time, wait until the butter is completely mixed in before you add the next two
tablespoons. Increase the speed to medium low and knead the dough for about 6
to 8 minutes. Add a little more flour if the dough seems too sticky: It should
easily clear the sides of the bowl in the mixer. The dough should be very
smooth and warm, and light when it’s done.
Lightly oil a bowl, and transfer the dough to it. Cover with
plastic wrap, and let it rise for about an hour and a half to two hours, or
until it’s doubled in size.
When it’s ready, shape it into either small rolls or into a
rectangle for a loaf. Let the dough rise again for another hour, or until it
fills the pan.
Preheat the oven to 400F, and bake the bread for about 35 to
40 minutes.
Remove the bread from the mold or pan as soon as it comes
out of the oven and let it cool on a rack.