Sweets and drinksBaked GoodsEurope and North America1 hour for the first rise, 6 hours cold proving, 1 to 2 hours for the second rise, 25 minutes baking
A braided brioche takes more waiting than working. The crumb pulls apart in strands, it smells of butter and the top bakes glossy and golden. The tricky part is keeping the dough cool throughout.
The water for the yeast has to sit at 35 to 38 degrees C, as anything hotter kills it. The dough is ready when it stretches into a windowpane, a thin sheet that does not tear. It chills for 6 hours before being divided and braided.
This batch weighs about 1.3kg, at roughly 313 calories per 100g.
Method
Put 50ml of warm water, 13.5g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 3 teaspoons of yeast in a bowl, stir to dissolve and leave for 10 minutes to activate.
Stir 60 grams of heavy cream with 70ml of oat milk in a bowl and warm it to about 35 degrees C. Pour the milk mixture into the yeast along with 3 chicken eggs and stir.
Put 520 grams of bread flour, 121.5g of kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 30 grams of milk powder, 1.5 teaspoons of salt and the yeast mixture in the mixer bowl. Knead on low speed for 10 minutes, rest the dough for 5 minutes, knead for another 10 minutes and rest for 5 minutes more.
Add 180 grams of butter and knead on medium speed until the dough comes together and no longer sticks. Turn it out and knead by hand for 2 minutes.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with cling film and leave it for 1 hour until doubled.
Knead briefly for 3 minutes, round the dough, put it in a sealed box and chill for 6 hours. Then divide it into 9 pieces, roll them into long strands and braid them in threes.
Set the loaves in the tin, cover them with a cloth and prove for another 1 to 2 hours until doubled.
Mix 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon of honey and 15ml of oat milk. Heat the oven to 150 degrees C for 10 minutes.
Brush the mixture over the loaves and bake at 150 degrees C for 25 minutes.
Tips
Water for the yeast should be 35 to 38 degrees C, as anything hotter kills it.
Check the dough with the windowpane test, stretching it into a thin sheet that does not tear.
Keep the dough cool throughout, since warm dough bakes into a loaf that will not pull into strands.
Honey in the glaze is still sugar, so 1 teaspoon is all it takes.
The 180 grams of butter goes in only once the dough has come together, since adding it early stops the gluten from developing.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.