Professor Butter Beard’s Brioche
2 Loaves or 24 Rolls
4 cups bread flour
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbsp Chinese Five-Spice Powder
4 Tbsp granulated sugar (divided 1 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp)
½ cup warm whole milk
½ cup sour dough starter (optional)
4 tsp active dry yeast
5 large eggs
2 Tbsp grated zest (orange, lemon or lime)
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1 Tbsp pieces
1) In a four-cup glass measuring bowl, whisk together the warm milk, sour dough starter, 1 Tbsp of the sugar and the dry yeast. Set aside to bloom.
2) In the bowl of a standing mixer, stir together the bread flour, salt, five-spice and the remaining 3 Tbsp of sugar.
3) Switch to the dough hook. In a small bowl, whisk together the five eggs. Add the eggs to the dry mix. Pour in the bloomed yeast mixture. Mix on medium speed with the dough hook to form a soft, elastic dough.
4) Turn off the mixer and add the grated zest. Mix on low until the zest is incorporated. Add the butter, one Tbsp at a time, until fully incorporated and the dough is shiny and soft to the touch.
5) Scrape the dough into a large butter-greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap until the dough is doubled in size (about one hour).
6) Shape the dough as desired. I stack two braids on top of each other in each loaf pan. Let rise again for 30 minutes.
7) Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Bake the brioche for 30 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in their pans on a wire rack.
