Quick and Easy Brioche - Cooks Illustrated

Published September 1, 1995.

Skip the sponge process and first rise--and you still get a light, delicious pastry.

The Problem

Most home bakers tend to shun this rich dough because preparing it in the traditional method is very time-consuming. It requires waiting for a sponge to rise, mixing more flour into the sponge, waiting again for the resulting dough to rise, and chilling the dough--until it is finally ready to use.

Flaky, buttery, and readily adaptable to a variety of forms and accompanying flavors, brioche dough has long been a favorite of professional bakers. We wanted to shortcut and streamline the process enough to make a recipe that wouldn't scare off home cooks.

The Goal

The Solution

The process of making brioche dough can be shortened considerably by eliminating the sponge in favor of a one-step mixing method and by either shortening or eliminating the first rise. Only the final rise before baking must be maintained, as it is essential to the texture and flavor of the pastry. If you don't have time to use the dough immediately, you can leave it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before shaping it, letting it rise, and baking, a factor that makes this dough even more convenient.

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