Today I present my brioche bread, made without adding eggs, butter, or milk to the dough. Nevertheless, this easy and light leavened bread remains soft for several days and can be made for savory recipes (sandwiches, delicious appetizer canapés, aperitifs); or to be enjoyed at breakfast or leisure time. It is a recipe I am very proud of, not out of presumption, to which I am not accustomed, but because it is my creation. After much trial, I managed to find the right balance between the ingredients to achieve a product that is fragrant like brioche dough, soft yet well-structured, light and unlike brioche dough, is closer to bread in terms of texture and crumb. Finally, the three leavenings are fundamental; they are in fact the piece that contributes to making it so good and digestible.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 20
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 0.1 oz fresh yeast
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup room temperature water
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup room temperature water
- 2 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp wildflower honey (or powdered sugar)
- pre-leavened dough
- 1/4 cup light vegetable oil
Steps
First, let’s prepare the pre-dough (or biga). Dissolve the fresh yeast in a large bowl with the 1/2 cup of water. Then, add the well sifted flour and mix until you get a soft dough like in photo 1 (a fork is sufficient). Cover the pre-dough bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, as shown in photo 2.
When the biga has doubled in volume, we can prepare the actual brioche bread dough.
In a large bowl, sift 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, add salt, honey, half the oil, and start mixing to roughly combine the ingredients, as seen in photo 3. Don’t worry if it requires a little more or less water than I anticipated, as flours do not always absorb liquids in the same amount.
At this point, add the pre-leavened dough (photo 4), the remaining oil, and knead until the two doughs are perfectly combined (photo 5). The dough is ready when it appears soft, smooth, and no longer sticks to your hands and the work surface (or bowl). Lightly oil the bowl where it will rise, seal tightly with plastic wrap, and wait for it to double, as in photo 6.
When the dough has risen well, let it fall gently onto the work surface and, without deflating it, roll it towards you until you form a loaf, a sort of cylinder (as in the last photo below). Finally, place the loaf vertically in front of you and roll it again tightly.
These steps are precisely what give structure to the leavened bread, ensuring it rises well, is well-crumbed, develops perfectly during baking, and does not deflate as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Line a mold with parchment paper.
Weigh the risen dough and divide it into three equal parts, each of which will be shaped into a sphere.
Place the three spheres of dough into the mold, cover with plastic wrap, and let them rise for the third and final time.
As soon as the brioche bread reaches the top edge of the mold, turn on the oven and bring it to 350°F.
Bake it in the already hot oven, at mid-height, for about 40 minutes, keeping a close eye on it and remembering that cooking temperatures and times may vary from oven to oven.
Once baked, remove it immediately from the oven and after ten minutes, take it out of the mold, remove the parchment paper, and place it on a wire rack to allow excess moisture to evaporate without ruining the final result.
Let it cool for at least an hour before slicing.
