BRIOCHE LOAVES

I love this brioche recipe out of Ina Garten's book Barefoot in Paris. Making bread is usually labour intensive , but this recipe is very quick, the only drawback is that you have to refrigerate the dough overnight. but then the next morning you take it out and with very little effort you place it in some pans and before you know it the kitchen just permeates with the lovely aroma of fresh baked bread.

Ina's recipe makes 2 loaves one to eat and one to freeze, but in my house the second one never makes it to the freezer. My sister likes hers plain just slice an serve. I of course need butter on mine ! Either way this bread is delicious and if any is left over I think I'm going to make some Pain Perdu tomorrow. Stay tuned kids, to find out what that is.

BRIOCHE

1/2 c warm water

1 package dried yeast

3 T. sugar

6 x-large eggs, room temperature

41/2 cups unbleached flour

2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 lbs. unsalted butter at room temperate

1 egg mixed with 1T. milk for egg wash

Combine the water,yeast and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Allow to stand for about 5 minutes, until yeast and sugar dissolve.

Add the eggs and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

With the mixer on low speed add 2 cups of flour and salt and mix for 5 minutes. Still on low speed then add the other 2 cups of flour and again mix for 5 minutes.

Add the soft butter in chunks and continue mixing at low speed scraping down the sides of the bowl until well blended. With mixer still running add the additional 1/2 cup of flour. Switch the paddle to the dough hook and mix for an additional 2 minutes on low speed.

Scrape the dough into a large buttered bow with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate overnight.

The next morning lat the dough rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Grease two 81/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-in. loaf pans.

T urn the dough onto a light floured board and cut in half.

Pat each portion into a 6 x 8 -in. rectangle, then roll up each rectangle into a cylindrical loaf. Place each loaf n a greased pan, cover with a damp towel and set aside to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush with the egg wash when they have risen and bake for 45 minutes, or until the tops spring back and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped. Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to cool.