Brioche Breakfast Loaf
Brioche Breakfast Loaf: soft, buttery bread swirled with brown sugar and walnuts. An overnight-rise recipe perfect for brunch.
Servings: 2 loaves
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water 105°F to 115°F
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast 1 package
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp grated lemon peel
- 1 cup butter softened
- 6 lg eggs
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour sifted
Filling
- 3 tbsp butter softened
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups finely chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- Topping sugar for dusting
Instructions
Ahead: Make the Dough
- Brioche dough really benefits from a slow overnight rest. This helps develop its signature flavor and texture, so don’t skip this step. (High-altitude: this step helps develop the flavor particularly at high-altitude, where rising times can be significantly shortened.)
- Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large mixing bowl and stir until dissolved.
- Add granulated sugar, salt, grated lemon peel, butter, eggs, and 3 cups of the flour.
- Beat everything on medium speed for around 4 minutes, then add the rest of the flour and beat on low until smooth, about 2 more minutes. The dough will be soft and sticky; this is normal for brioche.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot (about 85°F) until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. At high-altitude (above 3,500 ft), this rise should take about half the time. Check at one hour to see if it has doubled.
- Once it has risen, cover tightly and refrigerate the dough overnight.
Filling and Shaping
- Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans. In a medium bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and egg yolks. Stir in the milk, vanilla, and chopped nuts.
- Punch down the cold dough and turn onto a floured board. Split into two equal pieces. Return one half to the fridge.
- Roll out the first half to a rectangle about 9×14 inches and half an inch thick. Spread with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, then half the filling, staying one inch from the edges.
- Roll up each short end halfway toward the center so they meet. Flip over and carefully move to a prepared loaf pan, seam side down. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Cover both pans and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 1 1/2 hours. At high-altitude, start checking at 1 hour. You don't want the loaf to rise much beyond the lip of the pan before putting it in the oven.
Baking and Finishing
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake loaves until golden brown on top, about 35 minutes. They should sound hollow when tapped.
- Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn onto racks to cool completely.
- When completely cool, dust the tops generously with your topping sugar.