Poor Man's Sourdough Brioche Recipe

Step 1

The night before you want to make your brioche, or at least 4-8 hours beforehand, feed your sourdough starter so that you have at least 150 grams to use for the recipe. I took 25 grams of starter from the fridge, then mixed in 75 grams of water and 75 grams of bread flour. The next morning it had doubled in size and it was ready to use.

Step 2

To a mixing bowl, add the milk, eggs, sugar, salt, and active sourdough starter. Stir everything thoroughly to combine.

Step 3

Then add the total amount of flour and mix everything with a spoon or bowl scraper until the flour becomes hydrated by the wet ingredients. Knead the dough on the counter for about a minute so that everything holds together. Cover the dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Step 4

Uncover the dough and add half of the butter on top of the dough. Spread the butter across the dough with your hands and then dimple the butter into the dough with your fingertips. Flatten and fold the dough a few times until the dough finally breaks apart and exposes the layers of butter.

Step 5

Knead the dough on an un-floured countertop for about five minutes, or until the butter fully incorporates into the dough. At first the counter will get buttery, and then in will get doughy, and finally the dough will all hold together. Use a bench scraper to help you clean up the counter throughout this process. When the dough holds together, form it into a ball, cover it, and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Step 6

Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the other half of the butter. Spread, dimple, fold, and then knead the dough for another five minutes until the butter fully incorporates into the dough. When the dough is fully kneaded, let it rest for five minutes and then check for gluten development with the window-pane test. If you need to, knead the dough for another five minutes.

Step 7

Ball the dough up and place it into an oiled or buttered container. Let it rise for 5-10 hours, or until doubled in size. Once the dough has doubled, you can shape the dough right away, or move it to the fridge for up to 24 hours. I usually keep my dough in the fridge for around 3-12 hours. The colder dough is easier to shape.

Step 8

Divide the dough into six equal pieces and shape them into balls. You can use a digital scale to weigh the dough equally. Place all six balls of dough into a loaf pan, using your dough scraper to help them fit tightly together. Cover up the dough with oiled plastic wrap and let it proof at room temperature for about 3-6 hours, or until doubled in size.

Step 9

Brush the dough with egg wash (one beaten egg) and bake it in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to check with a thermometer, the internal temperature of the brioche should be at least 190 degrees Fahrenheit when fully baked. Note: Tent the top of the brioche with aluminum foil if the bread is getting too dark half-way through the bake time.