Brioche
(courtesy of Katie Bennett, executive pastry chef, Liberty Food & Wine Exchange in Reno. Makes 1, 14-ounce loaf)
4 cups bread flour
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons room-temperature butter
1 cup room-temperature water
1½ teaspoons dry yeast
¼ cup milk
1 egg
In a mixer with a dough hook, mix together dry ingredients. Add butter and mix until pea-sized balls are formed.
Mix together water and sugar. Add yeast and stir to dissolve. It is important not to let this sit as the yeast will die. Add milk and egg, then stir so all ingredients are combined. Add all your wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until dough comes together into a smooth ball with no dry spots.
Gently knead dough on a lightly floured work surface and form into a ball. Spray inside of a large bowl with nonstick spray and place dough inside. Tear off a sheet of plastic wrap, spray the plastic as well, then cover the dough. Proof until dough has doubled in size.
Once dough has proofed, remove to a lightly floured work surface. Shape the dough.
Combine by bringing the dough to center and rolling it into a ball. Leave as a loaf, or divide dough into 4 equal-sized balls for hamburger buns; 7, 2-ounce balls for slider buns; or 14, 1-ounce balls for dinner rolls. Place on greased sheet pan and brush tops with egg wash, then top with pepper.
Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Allow dough to proof until loaf or bun is desired size. Bake for 11 minutes.
