100% BUTTER BRIOCHE

For all those people who like brioche but think: Yeah, it’s nice, but I wish it had a little more butter…

This is made the same way as normal brioche dough, but you will need to take it out of the fridge about half an hour before shaping it.

Makes two 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) loaves

500 g (1 lb 2 oz/3¹/₃ cups) bakers’ flour

65 g (2¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

10 g (¼ oz/2 teaspoons) salt

20 g (¾ oz) compressed fresh yeast

6 large eggs

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced

mild-flavoured oil, for brushing

Put all the ingredients, except the butter, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture comes together.

Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 8–10 minutes, or until a dough forms which pulls away from the side of the bowl; halfway through the mixing process, scrape the dough down.

Once the dough comes together, scrape the dough off the paddle and add the butter. Continue mixing for 1 minute.

Increase the speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes, or until the butter is incorporated and a smooth dough is formed.

Transfer the dough to a clean, greased bowl or container and cover the surface of the dough with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate overnight; this step needs to be done to set the butter in the dough, and allow the yeast to ferment.

The next day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and set aside for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ball and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Brush two 9 x 17 x 10 cm deep (3½ x 6½ x 4 inch) loaf (bar) tins with oil. Form each piece of dough into a loaf shape and place into the loaf tins. Set aside for 3–5 hours.

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Bake the loaves for 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

The loaves will keep in a tied-up plastic bag in your bread bin for 4 days.