Soft brioche without food processor

A brioche without a food processor? Far from impossible! Your little hands will be sufficient to quickly knead a very soft braided brioche. You can enjoy it for your breakfast, during a morning break, or for a family snack!

Ingredients :

• 250 g T45 or T55 flour
• 30g sugar
• 50g soft butter
• 10cl lukewarm milk
• 1 egg
• 7,5g vanilla sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 egg yolk
• Chocolate chips and pearl sugar (optional)

Directions

Dear apprentice pastry chef, in order to make a wonderful brioche pour 7g of yeast into a salad bowl then add 10cl of lukewarm milk. Mix and let stand 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add an egg, mix and incorporate 250g of flour.

Now little chef, just put 30g of sugar on part of the bowl, on the same side add the 7,5g of vanilla sugar. Pour a tbsp of salt on the opposite side so that the sugar and salt do not touch each other. Mix with a spatula. Continue mixing by hand to incorporate all the flour.

Spread a thin layer of flour on the work surface. Drop the dough and continue kneading for several minutes. Fold the outer sides of the dough inwards, repeat several times then turn the dough between the palms of your hand (as if you were using a food processor with dough hook).

Incorporate your very soft butter in several times. Keep kneading. It is normal for the dough to stick to the work surface, you can continue kneading. The butter should be fully incorporated and the dough should come off the work surface.

When the dough becomes smooth and homogeneous, you have to make a ball. Then place it in a salad bowl. Cover with a dishcloth and leave to rest for 1h30 in a warm spot.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured work surface. Now you are going to perform a very important step: you are going to degas the dough. So you have to get the air out of the dough. You can form a ball with the dough. Divide the dough into three equal parts.

I hope you're good at hairdressing?! Forms three rolls. Come make a braid with the three parts of dough. Place the braid on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave to stand again for an hour at room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and mix the egg yolk and 2 tbsp of milk. Brush the dough with the mixture. Are you really really greedy? If you wish, you can sprinkle grain sugar and or chocolate chips on your brioche!

This is the last step! Bake for 15 to 30 minutes and it's ready, young and old alike just have to pounce on it!