1/2 c milk
1 envelope (2 teaspoons)
: active dry yeast
2 1/4 c unbleached, all-purpose
: flour, -- divided
6 TB unsalted butter
3 TB sugar
1/2 ts salt
2 lg eggs
Butter a loaf pan and cut a piece of parchment or wax
paper to fit the inside bottom of the pan. Butter the
paper. About 40 to 45 minutes after placing the dough
in the pan to rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees,
setting a rack in the middle level.
In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the milk until
it is just warm, about 110 degrees. Remove from heat
and pour into a small bowl. Whisk in the yeast, then
stir 1 cup of the flour into the yeast and milk
mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set
aside at room temperature while preparing other
ingredients. It may begin to rise slightly before you
add it to the other ingredients.
Cut the butter into 6 or 8 pieces and combine with
sugar and salt in the work bowl of a food processor,
fitted with the metal blade. Pulse at one-second
intervals until the mixture is soft and smooth,
scraping the inside of the bowl several times to
ensure even mixing. Add the eggs, one at a time, and
process until smooth. If the mixture appears curdled,
continue to process for about 1 minute longer, until
it looks smoother. (It may remain somewhat curdled in
appearance.) Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour, then
the milk-yeast-flour mixture, scraping it from the
bowl with a rubber spatula. Pulse at one-second
intervals until the ingredients form a soft, smooth
dough. Then process continuously for fifteen seconds.
Remove work bowl from base and remove blade. Scrape
dough onto a generously floured work surface and fold
it over on itself several times to make it more
elastic. Press the dough into a rough rectangle, about
9 by 5 inches. Fold each side about 1 inch in toward
the center and press firmly to seal. Then starting at
the top of the rectangle, fold the dough to the
middle. Fold the bottom of the dough up past the seam
and pinch to seal. Place the dough in the prepared
pan, seam side down. Press the top of the dough firmly
with the palm of your hand to flatten it and fill the
pan evenly. Cover with a piece of buttered plastic
wrap or a towel and allow to rise until it is about
one inch above the rim of the pan.
Using the corner of a razor blade or the tip of a
sharp knife held at a 30 degree angle to the top of
the loaf, cut a slash down the middle of the top
beginning and ending about one inch from the ends of
the loaf.
Bake the loaf for about 40 minutes, until it is well
risen and a deep golden color. Place the pan on a rack
to cool 5 minutes. Then invert the loaf to the rack
and turn it on its side to cool
Variation: Cinnamon Raisin Brioche Loaf
In step 4, sprinkle dough with cinnamon and about 1/2
cup raisins, then roll up and place in pan.
